Building With Structural Thermal Insulation Panels | Jedpanel
Building
With Structural Insulation Panels: The Most Important Factors
In a time when sustainability has become an
essential focus, the construction industry has not escaped untouched.
Sustainable home construction has emphasized the need for insulated homes. In
the quest to find more efficient, energy-saving, low-wastage and sustainable
homes, innovations have been made to improve insulation techniques.
Structurally insulated panels are one of the
efficient design practices to save energy. They deliver strength and efficiency
both in the construction of new homes and insulating them. They not only offer superior insulation protection
to traditional homes, but they also use fewer resources to give a stronger
result.
There are different SIPs to choose from, so the
question becomes; which one do you pick? The answer to this question will be
more apparent at the end of this article.
But
first, what are SIPs?
SIPs are prefabricated panels that frame wall, roof
or floor. They frame and insulate your home, in one package. SIP refers to
different types of materials and products. The most common type is the sandwich
panel which consists of insulating material within two outer ‘skins' such as
plywood, metal, fiber-cement beard, calcium silicate board or even MgO board.
The outer ‘skin' along with the other materials used
provides structure. Most of the available panels use polystyrene as the
insulating material. There are two forms of polystyrene used.
EPS
(Expanded polystyrene) sandwich panel
This
is the most common foam insulation used in SIPs. It is the least expensive, the
most readily available, but also the one with the lowest R-value.
R-value refers to the measure of the thermal resistance
of a material or the ability of heat to travel through a material. This means
that the most effective insulators will have the highest R-values. Practically,
it means that if your walls, roof or floor make it harder for heat to flow
through, you will have lower heating and cooling costs.
EPS has an R-value of 4 per inch. EPS is also used
in constructing roads, bridges and so forth, which require a strong structural
foundation. It is utilized because it is light, non-biodegradable and soft. This
means that it will not need heavy-land moving equipment.
EPS is the easiest to modify on site, and most
contractors have experience with it.
Benefits
· Energy efficient
·
Dimensional stability
·
Adaptability
·
Measurable energy savings
·
No bacteria or mold growth over time
XPS (Extruded polystyrene) sandwich
panel
XPS is similar to EPS in appearance, but the
manufacturing process is very different. It is stronger than EPS and boasts of
a higher R-value. XPS has a higher
melting point than EPS and a lower perm rating which means that it is harder to
work with but also makes it more durable and more fire resistant than EPS.
In general, low, XPS structural insulated panels are
more expensive than EPS SIPs.
Benefits
·
High R-value
·
Longevity of life
·
Fire resistance
·
Strength
·
Sustainability
·
No
bacteria or mold growth over time
If
not polystyrene, what else is there?
Rockwool
Rockwool insulation uses mineral wool as opposed to
polystyrene. It is manufactured from a blend of a volcanic diabase rock. The
rock is heated and spun into fine wool and then put in between outer ‘skins' as
an insulating material.
It has advantages such as a very high melting point
of over 1000°C which means that were there a fire in your home; it would be
much less likely to spread. Rockwool has excellent insulating properties,
therefore, improving the Thermal Insulation Panels comfort, and it has acoustic insulating properties
as well as breathability.
However, to use Rockwool stone wool in insulation
systems, you need different materials which make it expensive.
Benefits
·
Fire resistance
·
Breathability
·
Soundproof properties
·
Durability
·
Chemical inertness
So
which one do you choose ?
Whichever insulated panels you choose, you stand to
enjoy benefits such as having exactly what you need on the site, straighter
walls, pre-insulated homes, and much faster dry-ins among other similar
benefits.
You will then only have to choose which one of the
three discussed best suits your budget, requirements and the skill of your
contractors. Come to Jedpanel and get more detailed specification or quotation.
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