Structural insulated panels (SIPs) are among the latest green design building systems used for residential construction. SIPs are panels manufactured with a foam insulating core packaged between oriented-strand board skins. The resulting sandwich is durable, high in energy efficiency and may even reduce the scale of the systems used to heat and cool your home.
Since building heating and cooling systems account for upwards of 39% of the total U.S. energy consumption, energy efficient home design stands at the construction frontier. SPIs create a tighter, sealed thermal envelope for the home, and they could dramatically reduce the amount of residential carbon dioxide emissions. It takes 24% less energy to manufacture SIP insulation than it does to create an equally insulating fiberglass product.
Green building with SIPs
SIPs are sold as 4- to 8-inch thick foam board insulation and exterior boards that can be modified to homeowner specifications.
Large home improvement projects take time to plan. You need to move from the dreams in your head to sketches on paper and then on to designing and troubleshooting with your contractor. But all of that effort is worth it when you get to see the finished product – a Northern Virginia deck that suits your tastes and yard perfectly. Think about the many advantages to planning your deck project early.