Fast, high performance pre-fabricationStructural Insulated panels, or SIPs are a building system that has been used for decades around the world, and is now becoming more mainstream in the New Zealand market.
The system is made up of sandwich panels if insulation and timber which are cut to shape in a factory based on each design, and are then delivered to site as a numbered kit. The construction of the panels is significantly quicker than traditional framing, with buildings going up in a matter of days, opposed to weeks, leading to lower project costs and timescales. Alongside this SIPs projects are far easier to achieve higher levels of performance, due to the higher percentage of insulation to framing, and the inherent airtightness of the system. However the system comes into it's own when wielded by a designer and project team who know how best to use them. Working to sheet sizes, understanding how the junctions and fixings work, and which forms and designs are best suited to the system - all of these considerations can ensure the success of a SIPs project. |
There are several SIPs suppliers in New Zealand, each with a slightly different offering - different insulation types in the panels, different sheet materials on the outside, different ways to install and fix the panels.
Director Joe has worked with the main SIPs suppliers in the country to produce a number of SIPs projects in the past, not least his own home Lower Saddle Passive House, which was completed in May 2021. To this end WEL is an ideal choice to work with, to get the best outcomes for your project using SIPs. |
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