Category: Foam Core SIPs

New Study Shows Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) Are Greener than Conventional Home Framing

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A new study shows that building a home using Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) produces up to10 times more energy savings compared to traditional stud framing, resulting in an energy payback period of just 5 years. And, SIPs reduces global warming potential by 13 times more than conventional framing measured by equivalent carbon emissions, recapturing greenhouse gases in just 3.8 years.

The study, conducted by environmental impact experts Franklin Associates, quantified the energy savings and greenhouse gas reductions of a fast-growing technology called SIPs, compared to conventional wood framing. The results present a powerful life cycle analysis showing that structural insulated panels make homes more efficient, comfortable, and environmentally sustainable. In Canada, the performance is even better, producing energy savings 18.6 times greater with a 2.7 year payback. The global warming reduction is 18.2 times better than stick-built construction with a 2.7 year payback.

“This study is significant because it is the first comprehensive comparison of the two different types of construction from raw materials right through a building’s life cycle,” said CEO Jamie Jenkins of the Murus Company, Inc., a leading supplier of the insulating panels. “The continuous SIPs whole-wall system has virtually no thermal bridging, breaks or air infiltration like wood or steel framing, producing a tighter building enclosure and reducing energy consumption. But, this study actually quantifies the return on investment over a building’s 50-year life and is a truer measure of what defines a green home,” Jenkins said.

The analysis was based on a wood-sided, 1791 square- foot home, one with 2×6, R-19 insulated walls and the other with 6 1/2″ SIPs with EPS core insulation. The study calculated the energy invested in BTU’s based on raw materials and the energy mix used throughout the production of the framing products. It also added transportation to market. Energy saved is based on BTU’s of a home’s heating and cooling. The global warming potential (GWP) measures equivalent emission units of CO2, fossil fuel, methane and nitrous oxide.

The study, conducted for the EPS Molders Association, concluded that the superior thermal performance of structural insulated panels (SIPs) combined with critical reductions in greenhouse gas emissions offers the construction industry an excellent opportunity to significantly reduce global warming.

The Murus Company, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of structural insulated panels (SIPs), high performance building panels used for walls, floors, and roofs in residential and light commercial construction. SIPs are composite panels of interior and exterior structural sheathing with rigid, solid-core insulation.

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The Murus Company, Inc. now offers jumbo-sized Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs). The company recently added a fully automated, computer controlled production line that went online in their Mansfield, PA factory March 15, 2013. The new equipment can produce SIP panels in widths up to 9 feet, lengths up to 24 feet, and thicknesses up to 17 inches.

According to General Manager Jamie Jenkins, “Industry and customer demand encouraged Murus to add jumbo SIP manufacturing capability. Jumbo SIPs will further complement our leading lineup of products and services. There is an ever-growing segment of the construction industry that prefers building with SIPs and wants to increase time and labor savings even more through the use of jumbo panels.”

Murus SIPs use construction methods that offer critical advantages over traditional stick-frame construction. The insulated panel system allows for shorter timeframes, quicker enclosure, and significantly reduced labor costs. SIPs have been proven to reduce framing labor by as much as 55%. Murus SIPs also offer engineered energy savings, including significantly lower lifetime heating and cooling costs compared with traditional construction. Murus homeowners can be assured they will save on energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants without sacrificing performance or comfort.

Jenkins added that “The new line can produce up to 50,000 square feet of product per day and will enable Murus to meet the industry’s ever-increasing demand for energy efficient SIPs. With jumbo SIPs, Murus now offers more SIP products than any other manufacturer in the country. Murus can supply jumbo SIPs using either standard EPS or NEOPOR® EPS foam cores. As always, our industry-leading flagship line of Polyurethane foam core panels will continue to be available in four-foot widths.”

The Murus Company, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of Structural Insulated Panels, high performance building panels used for wall, roof, and floor applications in residential and light commercial construction. SIPs are composite panels of interior and exterior structural sheathing with rigid plastic solid-core insulation.