Not all Building Panels are SIPs

 

Building panels come in many forms, known as foam-core panels, stress skin panels, nail-base panels, sandwich panels, or curtain panels. Many of these building panels are nonstructural, while some have no insulation and the term "panelized construction" can also include prefab stud walls and other modular forms. Global Building Solutions' SIPs are with self-supporting characteristics providing superior insulating properties to a building.

 

SIP walls are superior to conventional walls in a number of ways. SIPs combine a high insulation R-value with speed and ease of construction. The solid foam core eliminates air movement within the walls and minimizes thermal bridges through wood studs. Together, all these reduce air infiltration, and with proper installation, make a tightly sealed/ easily controlled house. SIPs eliminate the need for vapor barrier and additional insulation.

 

Is an R-17 SIPs wall comparable to an R-17 Stick Framed wall?

 

When installed according to Global  Building  Solutions'  recommendations, SIPs meet all building codes and pass the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards of safety. Fire investigators have found that in buildings constructed of SIPs the panels held up well. For example, in one case where the structure exceeded 1,000°F (538°C) in the ceiling areas and 200°F (93°C) near the floors, most wall panels and much of the ceiling remained intact. An examination of the wall panels revealed that the foam-core had neither melted nor delaminated from the skins. In similar cases, a lack of oxygen seemingly caused the fire to extinguish itself. The air supply in a structural insulated panel home can be quickly consumed in a fire.

 

Lack of skilled construction workers and the amount of time to build are major contributors to the difficulties facing current construction methods. The use of SIPs reduces labor time by 35-45% and construction costs by 40-50%.

SIPs vs. Concrete Masonry Units (CMUs) vs. Steel - STC-VALUES

STC stands for sound transmission class. The STC of a building determines how easy it is to hear sound through a barrier, such as a wall, floor, or ceiling. There are 6 main classifications for STC, and they fall into the following ranges:

  • 20 - 25   Very Poor - even low speech can be heard

  • 25 - 30   Poor - normal speech can usually be heard

  • 30 - 35   Fair - speech would be quite loud to be heard

  • 35 - 40   Good - one can hear loud speech through a barrier, but not understood

  • 40 - 50   Very Good - loud speech can only faintly be heard

  • 50 - 60   Excellent - one has to strain to hear loud sounds through a barrier

Typical interior partitions (2 sheets of 5/16” gypsum board on a steel stud frame) have an STC of about 33. Adding absorptive insulation (i.e. EPS) in the wall cavity increases the STC to 36-39, depending on stud and screw spacing. Doubling up the gypsum board, in addition to insulation, can yield an STC of 41-45, provided the wall gaps and penetrations are sealed properly.

 

Structurally separating the panels from each other (by providing an air space at a double panel wall) can yield an STC as high as 63 (or more), coupled with good low-frequency transmission loss. Compared to the baseline wall of STC 33, an STC 63 wall will transmit only 1/1000 as much sound energy and provides 88% quieter room and will render most frequencies inaudible.     

            

Due to the high density of CMU blocks, a 4” wall has an STC in the 30s, while an 8” wall provides an STC in the 40s - but their extreme weight requires massive foundations, thus adding unnecessary material cost to the structure, prolonging the project schedule due to the slow installation rate, and providing extremely poor thermal insulation.       

             

It must be noted that acoustical performance values such as STC are measured in specially-constructed acoustical chambers, and field conditions - such as lack of adequate sealing, outlet boxes, back-to-back electrical boxes, medicine cabinets, flanking paths, and structure-borne sound - can diminish acoustical performance. The as-built “field-STC” (FSTC) is usually lower than the laboratory-measured STC. 

SIPs vs. Concrete Masonry Units (CMUs) vs. Steel - FIRE RATINGS

In the description following the STC table you will note that the addition of materials and wall separation required to achieve the highest STC rating are the same prescribed methods required in the Fire Rating table. This allows two requirements to be addressed with one application.

 

The Fire Rating for CMU Blocks is achieved using formulas which take into account density, aggregate type, and mix ratio; all of these vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. SIPs meet all US Code (IRC) and International Code (ICC) requirements for health and safety, including having been reviewed for fire safety. Fire Rating tests are performed by conducting controlled laboratory burns governed by ASTM - E119 (Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests of Building Construction Materials) and comply with IBC Table 601, ASTM E136 - (Standard Test Method for Behavior of Materials in a Vertical Tube Furnace at 1382º F). SIPs provide ample protection against fire, while simultaneously reducing the cost of materials, and time needed to build, as compared to concrete and cement block.


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