home

Sustainability

Sustainability - Structural Insulated Panel (SIPs) Systems


The Department of Communities and Local Government (CLG) is leading the drive for better more energy efficient construction, through the standards derived from the Code for Sustainable Homes.

The i-SIP structural insulated panel building system, with only minor alterations to its standard format, can help to reduce CO² emissions by 40% and reduce the energy consumption from the 62 KWh/m² required by regulations to an outstanding level of only 22KWh/m²/year for a detached house. This is achieved with assistance from a developed supply chain network that can supply heating systems, air exchange units (that can be maximised in their efficiency due to air tightness levels of typically 5m³/m²/hour against Building Regulations requirement of 10m³/m²/hour) and solar heating panels.

All these benefits are demonstrated in a real construction situation at the Osborne House on the BRE Innovation Park in Watford, constructed of Innovaré SIPs panels and awarded Eco-points Excellent, exceeding the standard by 18 points.

Revisions were made to the Osborne Demonstration House in late 2008. During the first two years of use the building had received an unusually high footfall of over 15,000 visitors. An air permeability test undertaken at the time of the revisions to the house achieved an air permeability rating of 2.56m³p/m²p/hr against original test results of 1.8m³p/m²p/hr recorded when the house was first constructed in 2006, demonstrating the long term performance of the structural insulated panels.

A working example of i-SIP sustainability performance can be found on the Mid Street project completed by Innovaré Systems in conjunction with Raven Housing Trust, Osborne and the Energy Savings Trust. This affordable housing scheme consisting of two flats was the first inhabited level 5 Code for Sustainable Homes project and uses the Innovaré i-SIP structural insulated panel system for the building envelope, with additional renewable energy sources to deliver low carbons and sustainable homes. View the project case study.

In-depth analysis one year on of the i-SIP building structure and energy saving products installed within the homes at Mid Street showed that whilst the SIPs building structure performed well and proved to be robust enough for day-to-day living, a number of issues with the eco technology hindered their contribution to the scheme. A key understanding from the first year of the project is that the SIPs building fabric is key to sustainability performance. By achieving maximum performance through the i-SIP building structure, renewable energy technology can then be used to supplement the performance of the SIPs building envelope to achieve the required standards.

Innovare Systems provide solutions whilst delivering long term
benefits and sustainability:

Download Osbourne brochure PDF

Osborne brochure PDF

Sustainability Statement
Sustainability Statement PDF

Reduced carbon emissions

Exceptional thermal performance of the i-SIP panels requires minimal heating assistance, reducing the carbon emissions of the building

Reduced heat loss

The i-SIP structural insulated panels far exceed the Building Regulations requirements with regard to airtightness and assist with the overall energy conservation of the SIPs building

PEFC certificated timbers

i-SIP floor cassettes can be provided with a plywood deck which obtains an 'A' rated construction assessment from the BRE. All timbers used for i-SIP structural insulated panels, floors, roofs and partitions are obtained from PEFC certificated sources. Contact Us for further information

A' rated components

Green Guide 'A' rated materials make up the building components in the i-SIP system

EPS

The EPS core (both standard and low lambda) of the i-SIP structural insulated panels is 100% recyclable

Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP)

All components of the i-SIP structural insulated panel building system produce contain no HCFC/CFCs and produce zero emissions

Global Warming Potential (GWP)

In-line with the environmental credentials of i-SIP and its Green Guide ´A´ Rating, all components for the structural insulated panels, floor and roof systems and party walls have a GWP of zero

Reduced Waste

The state-of-the-art production processes at I-S Manufacturing optimise all material usage within the manufacture of the i-SIP structural insulated panel building system. Lean engineering and manufacturing utilising off-site construction principles generates virtually zero waste on-site.

OSB

OSB used within the i-SIP structural insulated panel utilises timber shreds that would have otherwise been waste material

Treatments

All treatments are water based tanalised or similar

Embodied energy

The production of i-SIP structural insulated panels is such that there are very low levels of embodied energy. We are currently well advanced in our research into this issue and will post our findings soon.

Not just another panel supplier.