Fischer SIPS being installed

Fischer SIPS contacted me regarding their company’s SIPS panels. I’ve written about SIPS before and their benefit for any building project.

Fischer SIPS have an added benefit of specifying SIPS with FSC certified wood.

If you’re not familiar with SIPS, they are “structurally insulated panels” used for building homes and commercial structures and are an “all-in-one” product providing the framework and insulation for a project at the same time. SIPS are a made as a “sandwich” of Oriented Strand Board (OSB), insulation, and OSB. SIPS are available in varying dimensions with varying projected R-values. The benefits of using SIPS in a building project are numerous.

• Energy efficiency is significant. According to the Fischer website, SIPS’ actual R-value (ie., the number they’re given based on their thickness), and their performance R-value are significantly different, with the latter being higher than the performance R-value. This statistic is unusual because, generally speaking, R-values will be the same or lower than “performance R-value” due to other factors (construction methods, thermal bridging, etc.). Further, air tightness is superior to a stick-frame built home because the SIPS are fully insulated and there are fewer thermal bridges (where heat can transfer from warmer to cooler areas). Heating bills are significantly lower than a traditional stick-frame and fibreglass insulated home.
• Less waste on site. Building a house is one of the highest waste producing activities around. Using SIPS that are constructed in a factory significantly cuts down on waste on the building site. Within the manufacturing facility, excess insulation (in this case expanded polystyrene — EPS) from SIPS production can be reused for other EPS uses.
• Use of rapidly renewable resources. OSB is made from small, rapidly growing trees not suitable for other uses. A full 85-90% of the tree can be used to make OSBs.
• Speed of Constructing a home. SIPS can be assembled in up to 30% less time than a stick-framed house (although a crane is necessary for the roofing panels) because the frame and insulation are all in one.
• SIPS are ideal for cathedral ceilings because of the insulation already in the panels.
• Fischer SIPS are available with FSC certified OSB (in 4’x8′ and 4×12′ dimensions only).

Fischer ships its products across the United States and Canada and as far away as Russia.

For more information, visit the Fischer website.

FischerSIPS®, LLC
1800 Northwestern Pkwy – Louisville, Kentucky 40203
Phone:  800.792.SIPS       (7477)
Fax: 502.778.0508

Feature photo courtesy of FischerSIPS