Browse Forums What's New Re: Use of Structural Insulated Panels 22Aug 26, 2011 11:13 pm Newtown rebuild: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=48977 Re: Use of Structural Insulated Panels 35Oct 11, 2011 2:48 pm Hi, I am PDS, I made the post above, I though I might let you all know a little about my story and our journey with SIPs, as it looks like there a few people wanting to learn about Sips. I will be using Sip’s on my home in Victoria we hope to start building soon. I have finished all the research, Design work and specifications, engineering, Heating / cooling and ventilation requirements together with getting an 8 Star rating for our 37 square home here in Melbourne Our heating requirements for the Melbourne climate zone are 66% less for the same size home with a Five Star rating. The cooling requirements will be around 50% less so we are looking forward to living in a home that will use a fraction of the energy of a 5 Star rated home. I have spent the last two years working out how to make SIPs work here in Australia. During that process I talked with the People in Perth, Sydney and a company here in Melbourne that was going to build SIPS panels. But they haven’t managed to get it going yet. I also conducted a lot of research into the different options overseas From my experience the SIPs style home starts with a good supplier and then you need to build a team of people around you to ensure it all works and the home will give you the result you are looking for. With our home I am not sure how much money I will be saving by using SIPs, I do know I will enjoy a lot of savings however, as we won’t use any Bricks, Plaster to the walls, the Frame costs are also greatly reduced, and the build time will also be greatly reduced. My main reason for building this way is about building the most energy efficient home for our family we know from our studies that a SIPs home will do that for us. Over the past twelve to fifteen months I have worked through the design issues and have put together a group of people with the skills to get the best out of this building style. As with all new building products and Technology there a lot of issues and pit falls to look out for. I will be owner building my home which has further complicated the process as the Banks make it very difficult for Owner Builders, as some of you will know, however we are almost across the line now, we will know in the next week or so if we are fully approved. I work within the Building industry here in Melbourne where I Design, specify and sell new custom designed homes, I went as an owner build my home for many reasons. Then main reason was I wanted to use SIPS I know I needed to study and manage the complete process from Design, building research, selection of product, specifications, Engineering, Town Planning, Building Permit and construction, going owner building gave us this control. Now that we are well advanced into this process, I am ready to start working with clients to put together SIPs homes. I am now working with a client here in Melbourne and the Builder I work with to design and Build a home from SIPS. We intend to use SIPS for the Floor, Walls and Roof and have selected PanEco to supply the Panels. Over the next few weeks we will have the early Design work finished and will go to the costing stage. We intend to cost and energy rate the home as a Brick veneer home and also as a SIPs style home. This will give us a comparison price for standard construction and the costs for the same home using SIPS together with the increased Energy Rating. From this process we will be able to demonstrate the full advantages of building with SIPS and the sort of savings the home owner could look to enjoy If you would like to contact me to follow this process fell free to ***************************************( edited by kexkez Homeone Support Team) Feel free to ask PDS on the thread so that everyone can read the information. New custom Home design Consultant, SIPs Building, sloping blocks, knock down and rebuild or unusual design requirements Re: Use of Structural Insulated Panels 36Dec 29, 2011 12:51 pm I am interested in the definition of what makes a 'Structural Insulated Panel'. My understanding is that it itself supports the structure - and that a panel that is used as a 'fill-in' type panel, is not actually structural and that some products calling themselves SIPs are not really SIPs. It seems to be loosely used when in fact, unless the panel itself can support the envelope it is not really that? It does not need framing as the SIP itself is the frame if it is called a structural panel was my understanding. See projects searching with SIPs on Shmeco for panels used in that way to build multi-storey buildings in Western Australia, custom built homes in Canberra and Zero energy Passivhaus buidings in NSW. Re: Use of Structural Insulated Panels 37Dec 29, 2011 9:39 pm The definition is simply what you say and that is that the panel is structural. Some panel systems are more 'structural' than others. For example, the Bondor Insuliving panel is only suitable for single storey construction with limited roof spans whereas some of the better OSB and MgO boards can be the structural frame/panel for multistorey buildings. A SIPS panel is a structural panel - no ifs, no buts. There are plenty of 'panel systems' out there that LOOK like a structural panel but are not. The best way to check is to ask for the engineering and give it to your Building Surveyor to confirm if the panels will suffice for a building permit. Builders are people too.... Re: Use of Structural Insulated Panels 38Jan 11, 2012 4:57 pm Thanks for clarification. That was my understanding - so some of the panels calling themselves structural are in fact not - just fill in panels and the panel itself should be the structure without the need for any other framing? That too was my understanding, so with that qualifier, there would be only one or two panels that can really authentically be called SIPs? Re: Use of Structural Insulated Panels 39Jan 14, 2012 1:07 pm I'm pretty intrigued by SIP construction. I've been looking at the Bondor Insulwall and SolarSpan stuff but hadn't realised till I read this thread that they are not suitable for multilevel construction. I've started looking at the PanEco stuff that seems to get a good rap here. Speaking of wrap .... where is the vapour barrier in SIP construction? Am I at all justified in being worried about condensation on the internal walls given there doesn't seem to be one? Re: Use of Structural Insulated Panels 40Jan 14, 2012 1:22 pm Yes, the plywood sips do have a vapour barrier and you are rightly worried about condensation and long term mould. The vapour barrier is a vital component and should be supplied with the panels. Builders are people too.... Good questions but the best answer will be obtained by visiting (ie: interviewing) a couple of house designers and/or builders and ask them. You may find it challenging to… 2 3203 Assuming you've modelled the TB8, TB10, TB12, TB2 & J1 joists/LVLs there, it appears as per drawing to me. There maybe should be an additional J1 between TB10 and T12 if… 3 31710 |