The NewSIP structural insulated panel is a Patent Pending proprietary system, developed by Gordon Ritchie, the founding partner.
The system was developed to address concerns and deficiencies related to residential construction. Those benefits also relate to commercial construction.
NewSIP Panels can be used to replace any type of residential building envelope (wall), including basement foundation and frost walls, or as a curtain wall on commercial applications.
What a NewSIP Panel will do for you
With residential construction the panel offers versatility and more importantly solutions to issues like energy efficiency, mold and quality of installation at a comparable cost to current construction. In hurricane belts the structural properties offer safety and sustainability of the building structure. Resistance to high winds, debris damage, mold and contamination absorption, lower refit costs, vacancy periods and insurance rates or ultimately the ability to obtain suitable insurance in the specific region. The system brings the construction industry one step closer to a solution for the affordable housing crisis by reducing the skill level of the installer while ensuring the integrity of the building envelope. For individuals, the product allows them to construct their home themselves, without the need to purchase special tools. There is no time delay for design and they can make changes to the window and door openings onsite as they see fit.
For commercial construction the system can actually save money from typical construction techniques. Most of the savings come by eliminating steps in construction and therefore costly and timely labor. Energy savings in hot or cold climate operating costs can be passed onto the tenant to make the building a more attractive property to lease, or increase the bottom line to the landlord/building owner.
In hi-rise construction the system can shorten construction schedules reducing carrying costs and in colder climates save enormous hoarding and heating costs. With a single step in construction, the exterior can be sealed and insulated, allowing trades to proceed with interior finish.
With the movement to “Green” construction, the system brings alternative energy sources into commercial affordability in all types of construction. The tighter more efficient building envelope will typically reduce Ground Source infrastructure costs by up to 40%.
The market segment for this product will only grow as governments come under pressure to reduce emissions from heating and cooling. Currently commercial and residential buildings in North America contribute about one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions.
What is a SIP?
Structural insulated panels (or structural insulating panels), SIPs, are a composite building material. They consist of a sandwich of two layers of structural board with an insulating layer of foam in between. NewSIP Panels are made with MagBoardTM sheathing. These are structural sheets that can be finished like drywall on the interior and covered with siding materials or have stucco directly applied to the exterior of the panel. When the panel is used for basement or foundation walls, foundation spray can be applied directly to the surface.
In accredited third party testing this combination has outperformed traditional products such as wood frame and light gauge steel construction as well as traditional OSB structural insulated panels. NewSIP Panels can also be used to replace traditional concrete foundation and frost walls. This is especially useful in markets where concrete is hard or impossible to obtain. Where concrete cannot be obtained the panels can be combined with a Preserved Wood and granular footing and column pads as well as a Preserved Wood sleeper floor system. The system also eliminates more seasonal weather related work stoppage due to the ability to assemble in cold temperatures and damp conditions. In comparison to PWF (preserved wood foundations) The NewSIP Panel system requires less skilled labor and can be completed in a fraction of the time. A simple foundation wall can be erected within hours as apposed to days. The panel also eliminates the interior frost wall required with concrete.
NewSIP Panels are rated at 1/2" hour without a frame. Under the building code exterior walls of residential construction with standard setbacks require 15 minutes of fire protection. On the exterior of a residential building, plywood or OSB are used to achieve this rating. With the introduction of new siding products over the past 20 years fires are becoming more severe within minutes. In areas such as Alberta, it is very common that when a house starts on fire, the houses on either side will also become engulfed. In Multi family projects it is common that buildings across the street suffer extensive fire damage as well. It is anticipated that there will be changes to the building code in the near future requiring at a minimum of 1/2" drywall on the exterior of the structural sheathing adding cost and time to the project. The NewSIP Panel addresses these concerns with a single product while saving construction time.
