10 Reasons to Consider SIPs over Conventional Stick Built Methods

If you plan to construct a building, home or add on living space with a well‑built room addition, be sure to build with SIPs. There are at least 10 reasons why choosing to build with Premier Building Systems structurally insulated wall panels, roofs and ceilings is far superior to conventional stick framing.

1. Building with Green
2. Energy Efficiency
3. Comfort
4. Thermal Performance
5. Strength
6. Quick Installation
7. Cost Competitive
8. Design Flexibility
9. Pest Resistance
10. Peace of Mind

1.) Building with Green

SIPs are the most “green” building materials available for room additions, complete homes and buildings. As the environmentally preferred alternative to depleted, less reliable and more costly lumber, SIPs actually save old growth forests. The skins of our Premier Building System SIPs are made from oriented strand board ‑ a proven wood resource where the trees used grow at incredible speeds and are harvested for this specific use.

But the green in SIPs does't stop there! By choosing to construct your room addition, home, or office building with SIPs you're doing your part for the environment. SIPs help you reduce job site waste, landfill use and pollutants while decreasing fossil fuel consumption.

2.) Energy Efficiency

Want a room addition that provides year round comfort while saving you money? Structural Insulated Panels help builders improve the energy efficiency of room additions on up to light commsercial construction, which in turn means more comfort and less costs for the consumer. It's not surprising to hear people say their SIP structure saved them up to 60% in heating and cooling costs.

As energy efficient enclosures, SIP room additions are engineered for tight installation fitting and designed with minimal thermal breaks and higher whole wall efficiency than 2x6 R‑19 construction. SIPs are deemed to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star Program. SIPs are so highly regarded, even the APA said that zero energy construction is virtually impossible to gain without including SIPs systems.

3.) Comfort

The comfort benefit to the homeowner is one of the most exciting features of a Premier Building System SIP room addition. PBS SIPs give you easy and economical control of your inside environment. Your home or new room addition will stay air tight keeping you warm in the cold winters and cool in the hot summers. In addition to superior physical comfort, SIP structures are also very quiet. It has never been easier to block out neighborhood noise as you rest comfortably indoors. SIPs will enhance the comforts of your home's new room addition.

4.) Thermal Performance

Stick built walls were originally designed to be structural, not insulated. With PBS SIPs, the insulation is not an afterthought, but an integral part of the structure. The insulation is solid so there is no air movement within the wall, nor are there studs acting as thermal breaks that reduce energy efficiency and homeowner comfort. Additionally, Premier SIPs achieve some of the highest insulation/R-values in the SIPs industry.

5.) Strength

Structural testing and real world storms and earthquakes have challenged the strength performance of SIPs. PBS SIPs have exceptional strength to resist seismic activity and high winds. 20‑30% stronger than convential stick framing, the structural characteristics of SIPs are similar to that of a steel I‑Beam. The OSB skins act as the flange of the I‑beam, while the rigid foam core provides the web. Full‑scale comprehensive testing has helped Premier achieve some of the highest load capacities. This design is what gives SIPs an advantage during Mother Nature's worst disasters. Homes constructed with SIPs have withstood Kobe, Japan's 7.2‑magnitude earthquake in January 1993. These homes were located just miles from the quake's epicenter and stood solidly against the tremendous force of the earthquake.

SIP structures have also withstood tornados, straight line winds and tree trunks crashing into them. These tests of strength have proven that structurally insulated paneled structures, from room additions to light commercial applications, are vastly superior to stick framed construction methods.

6.) Quick Installation

Need your room addition constructed quickly? You won't find a better quality of structure installed as quickly as SIPs. PBS SIPs make construction faster because like the pieces of a puzzle, they install quickly and precisely. SIPs are made in a factory with everything built right in, including joists, trusses and studs. SIPs are even pre‑drilled for plumbing and electrical raceways are also conveniently integrated. SIPs are then shipped to job sites as ready‑to‑use panels, with no pre‑framing required. Installers simply connect them together to construct a room addition, house, or commercial building.

Less time on the structure means less materials damage and pilferage, less site overhead, and fewer weather delays, all of which equal profit. Many SIP contractors report 30% to 50% increased productivity in their framing. Our highly skilled and experienced SIPs installers will make quick work of your dream home or new room addition.

7.) Cost Competitive

When you examine the real cost savings of faster erection, easier sales process, faster payments, fewer problems, fewer delays, standard finishing details, the bottom line is always the same: Structural Insulated Panels save you money, and increase your profit. Learn more about SIP Cost Savings.

8.) Design Flexibility

PBS SIPs let your imagination run free. Endless design resource including: details, specifications, drafters to panelize your plans and a staffed technical center for SIPs conversion assistance. Any building design you can imagine, from as small as a room addition to a commercial building, will be faster and more easily constructed with SIPs than conventional stick framing. Simply contact Sun Spaces, Washington's only SIP supplier. We'll be happy to collaborate with you on your project, walk you through a PBS SIP installation, provide technical information, pricing, and answers to all your questions.

9.) Pest Resistant

Ants, termites and other insects are common throughout the United States and can affect both stick frame and SIPs buildings. Our expanded polystyrene beads are coated with an insect‑resistant product before the molding process. Premier SIPs are also sprayed with a natural, non‑toxic insect‑resistant mineral through our quality control procedures to help combat these types of insects. SIPs are no more susceptible to infestation than stick frame. Good construction practices should be used in the design and construction of SIP buildings to avoid insect infestation.

10.) Peace of Mind

For over 20 years, Premier Building Systems has been one of the leading SIPs manufacturer. As largest SIPs manufacturer in North America, PBS knows the right way to design and manufacture quality SIP structures. SIPs have shown they're the strongest, most reliable, and effective building materials from room additions to commerical buildings. With PBS you'll enjoy the very best in quality and benefits SIPs have to offer for many, many years to come.

There are many excellent reasons to consider Premier Building Systems SIPs over conventional stick built methods. When you know what they are the choice is simple. Premier Building System SIPs preserve our fossil fuel resources, use less of our precious forests, cuts energy consumption in half, fewer problems, fast installation, high quality and provide you peace of mind.

Start building with SIPs today!