News Release 2/15/07
| For Immediate Release February 15, 2007 |
Contact: | Chris Schwind chris@sips.org 253.858.7472 |
Housing Secretary Alphonso Jackson visits SIPA Village at 2007 International Builders Show
Secretary Alphonso Jackson from the Department of Housing and Urban Development stopped to visit with members of the Structural Insulated Panel Association (SIPA) at the SIPA Village exhibit during his tour of the 2007 International Builders Show in Orlando, Florida. Jackson spoke with SIPA President, Frank Baker, Insulspan, and SIPA Executive Director Bill Wachtler on the benefits of building with structural insulated panels (SIPs). Damian Pataluna, President, FischerSIPs, joined in the conversation.
Frank Baker said he enjoyed his discussion with Secretary Jackson. “Secretary Jackson showed a sincere interest in the advantages of SIP construction, especially as it related to SIPs ability to resist high winds. His interest was piqued because he one day hopes to build a personal home in a coastal region and was pleased to hear that SIPs offered not only significant energy savings and environmental benefits, but security as well.”
As a trade association representing the SIP industry, SIPA has worked with HUD’s Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) for many years to increase the awareness and market penetration of innovative materials such as structural insulated panels. PATH has partnered with SIPA on the creation of two engineering specifications: the Prescriptive Method for SIP Walls and the Prescriptive Method for Connecting Structural Insulated Panel Roofs to Concrete Wall Systems.
Structural insulated panels fit into PATH’s mission to provide energy efficient, durable and healthy homes for American families.
“Path is a program dedicated to improving technology and improving the use of tech in America’s housing,” said PATH Research Engineer Dana Bres. “The goal here is to make housing better, more affordable, more durable, more energy efficient, safer to build, and safer to live in.”
SIPs Save Energy
Structural insulated panels use continuous foam insulation throughout the panel that provides excellent energy efficiency and low levels of air infiltration. SIP homes have repeatedly demonstrated annual energy savings of 50-60% when combined with other high performance systems. Homes account for 22% of energy use nationwide, and release on average 22,000 lbs of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually, roughly twice as much as the average car. Building a SIP home with 50% energy savings will be the same as removing one car from America’s highways.
SIPs Conserve Resources
The oriented strand board (OSB) used in SIPs is an engineered wood product made from plantation grown trees that can be sustainably harvested. This means less forest acreage is needed to build a SIP home compared to a conventional wood frame house. The insulating foam cores used in SIPs require only a small amount of petroleum byproduct to produce and are made using non-CFC blowing agents. Because the majority of fabrication takes place in the SIP manufacturing plant, jobsite waste is almost eliminated.
SIPs Provide a Healthy Indoor Environment
Recent studies indicate that the indoor-air quality (IAQ) in homes can have significant effects on respiratory illness, particularly childhood asthma. The degree of tightness capable in a SIP home allows greater control over IAQ by limiting incoming air to mechanical ventilation systems that can filter air for allergens or remove humidity.
The inside of a structural insulated panel is solid, continuous insulation that is absent of cavity voids often prone to mold, also a leading contributor to respiratory problems and allergic reactions.
SIPs Add Durability and Safety
Structural insulated panels function like a steel I Beam. This web and flange design delivers engineered structural performance. Resistance to air infiltration and moisture intrusion increases the life of a home, and building longevity is a key component in environmentally sustainable building. Concrete-based fiber cement board skins are available for increased impact resistance in high wind coastal areas.
Photos of Secretary Jackson and SIPA members are available at www.sips.org.
About SIPA
The Structural Insulated Panel Association (SIPA) is a non-profit association representing manufacturers, suppliers, fabricators/distributors, design professionals, and builders committed to providing quality structural insulated panels for all segments of the construction industry.
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