R.S. Means studies show the panels can save builders 40% in construction-material costs and 60% in labor costs, Murphy says. “The labor savings in particular is significant, especially as some markets have a labor shortage. The key is that once you’ve erected the panels, you’ve got the structural material and the continuous insulation in place immediately.”
Builders need to make some minor adjustments when they use SIPs—or any continuous exterior insulation, notes Murphy. Door and window-jamb extensions and door threshold extensions need to adapt to the additional thickness of the walls, and structural tie-downs should be fastened on the wall’s interior or before the panels are installed. “Builders have told us this is not a big deal after the first job,” he says.
The panels make up only about 2% of the market currently. “There’s lots of room to grow,” says Pasma. “They produce high energy efficiency, creating a huge savings, and that’s becoming a driving force for homebuyers. Combined with the onsite labor savings—in an era when skilled labor is so tough to find—its easy to understand why more builders and dealers are looking closer at this approach.”
Internet InformationTo learn more about these insulation and housewrap companies’ products, visit these websites: – AlphaProTech: www.alphaprotech.com
– CertainTeed: www.certainteed.com – Convenience Products: www.convenienceproducts.com – Cosella-Dorken: www.cosella-dorken.com – Dow: www.building.dow.com – DuPont: www.Tyvek.com – Fortifiber Building Systems Group: www.fortifiber.com – GreenFiber: www.greenfiber.com – Guardian: www.guardianbp.com – Huber Engineered Woods: www.huberwood.com – Insulfoam: www.insulfoam.com – Johns Manville: www.jm.com
– Kimberly Clark: www.block-it.com – Knauf: www.knaufinsulation.com – MFM Building Products: www.mfmbp.com – NCFI Polyurethanes: www.NCFI.com – Owens Corning: www.owenscorning.com – Premier Building Systems: www.pbssips.com – PrimeSource: www.primesourcebp.com – Progressive Foam Technologies: www.progressivefoam.com – Typar: www.typar.com – Universal Forest Products (ThermalStar): www.ufpi.com |