Together with many digital technologies, building methods have significantly developed over the years into more convenient, clever systems with great benefits to project owners and -managers.
Innovative developments, like insulated panels, are now enabling you to build fast, precision-engineered buildings that rank right at the top in terms of thermal efficiency.
What are insulated panels? It is a high-performance building system used to create walls, roofs, or facades for residential, industrial, and light commercial construction. The panels consist of an insulating foam core sandwiched between two structural facings.
The structural characteristics of insulated panels are like that of a steel I-beam. The strand board facers act as the flange of the I-beam, while the rigid foam core provides the web. This design is extremely strong and eliminates the need for additional framing. It can be fabricated to fit nearly any building design.
Although it has been around since the 1930s, continuous development to this sandwiched-panel technology is what makes it an incredibly attractive building material today.
Do the benefits of insulated panels outweigh the risk of trying out a building material I am less familiar with? In short, the answer is yes. There are true benefits to choosing structural insulated panels over other similar wall system assemblies.
The SIP (Structural Insulated Panel) building kits are manufactured in a factory where quality can be monitored much more precisely than on-site. The panels are premanufactured to size according to the project plan and transported to the site to assemble and install. Unlike some other building methods where the building is constructed on-site from scratch, all SIP’s are pre-manufactured, come rain, or delayed building foundations. Its single-step installation capabilities make it efficient and cost-effective.
It is a method that provides better insulation, helping to better regulate indoor temperatures and ultimately reduce temperature-regulating expenses.
SIP’s have impressive sustainability credentials and can have up to a 4-hour fire rating. Its design flexibilities allow architects and owners the flexibility and creative freedom to develop aesthetically pleasing spaces.
For what types of building projects can insulated panels be used? For almost any type of building, you can think of including your home, warehouse, airport hangar, industrial facility, office building, or multi-story space. The panels can be used as walls, floors, or roofs. SIP floors are essentially wall panels laid flat. A typical floor panel is designed to carry normal residential loads, though higher load capacities are possible when necessary. It will keep your living space warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Used for roofing, although it is intended to replace roof trusses altogether, it cannot completely support itself. It still needs to be supported by beams or rafters.
Do I need a certain size building project before I can consider trying out SIP’s? Not at all. It can be used for any size project; small to flagship.
Feedback from others about their Insulated Panels experience: Louise De Villiers, Master Planning Lead at the renowned infrastructure consulting firm, AECOM, recently worked with JTC Building Systems on a flagship data centre project in Cape Town, South Africa. “The use of insulated panels contributed to a great overall project finish and enabled us to effortlessly meet the temperature regulation requirements of the project,” de Villiers shared.
If you are not sure who to contact in your area for a quotation, feel free to leave us your details. Also – If you need recommendations or input as to whether insulated panels will work for your specific project, send us your questions or gladly give us a call so can provide you with expert advice, at no additional cost.
Regardless of your project type or -size, you will find a deal-breaker advantage in Insulated Panels that you simply won’t be able to say no to.