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BASF Study Shows SIPs Cut Framing Labor in Half
A new BASF study shows that residential builders can reduce their framing labor needs by as much as 55% by using structural insulated panels (SIPs) instead of conventional “stick-building” methods.
The study was conducted on a two-story, three bedroom, Cape-style home in Tilton, N.H. Engineers from the RS Means unit of Reed Construction Data observed the construction of the home and compared the workers’ productivity with a benchmark home built using 2x6 construction and fiberglass batt insulation.
The SIP installation crew spent 130 fewer hours framing the exterior walls and roof of the home by eliminating many time-consuming steps from the construction process.
Used for walls, roofs, floors and foundations, a structural insulated panel (SIP) sandwiches a rigid foam insulating core between two structural skins usually made of wood. The seamless, closed-cell rigid foam core reduces air leakage and thermal bridging through the panels by providing a continuous span of insulation. In a large, single component, SIPs perform structural, insulating and air sealing functions, and they can be installed quickly, saving builders time and money.
The Tilton home used energy-efficient SIPs for all its exterior walls, the roof and two window dormers. Complex and hard-to-insulate dormers are easily pre-assembled using SIPs and hoisted into place with a crane. Installation of the SIPs dormers was found to be 25% faster than on the benchmark home.
By using precut channels, or “chases” in the foam core of the panels, electricians were able to wire the Tilton home in 11% fewer hours than its 2x6-framed counterpart, according to the study.
Building with SIPs also reduces waste, since they arrive at the job site prefabricated and require less measuring, cutting and framing. The study noted a 93% material utilization rate that sharply reduces the cost of job-site debris disposal.
SIPs create a well-insulated and airtight building envelope and SIP-built homes repeatedly demonstrate annual energy savings of 50% to 60% when combined with other energy-saving techniques. For example, SIP test homes monitored by the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) show heating and cooling costs as low as 32 cents per day. Airtight construction also provides better indoor air quality for the home’s occupants.
Due to the airtight qualities of SIP construction, the EPA waived its blower door test requirements for any SIP homes qualifying for the Energy Star program, thereby reducing the cost of an Energy Star home inspection. Coupled with federal and state tax incentives available for energy-efficient home construction, SIPs offer builders another money saving-option.
BASF, which commissioned the study, supplies polyurethane and expandable polystyrene insulation, formaldehyde-free binders for oriented strand board skins, and low-VOC adhesives and sealants used to manufacture SIPs.
For more information about structural insulated panels, download the BASF brochure “Everything You Need to Know About SIPS.”
To find contractors by area, click here.
To find out more about how BASF contributes to more sustainable construction, click here and click here.
Headquartered in Florham Park, N.J., BASF Corporation is a member of the National Council of the Housing Industry — The Leading Suppliers of NAHB.
This feature is solely for educational and informational purposes. Nothing on this page should be construed as policy, an endorsement, warranty or guaranty by the National Association of Home Builders of the featured product or the product manufacturer. The National Association of Home Builders expressly disclaims any responsibility for any damages arising from the use, application or reliance on any information contained on this page.
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