Structural Insulated Panels...

Beyond the box: The structural insulated panels industry says SIPs are energy efficient, easy to assemble, and strong. But can they produce stylish architecture? About 12,000 homes were built with this technology in 2002, says the Gig Harbor, Wash.-based Structural Insulated Panel Association (SIPA). Considering how many houses are built in the United States, this number is barely a blip on the national radar. The technology, however, has come in from the fringe and is steadily gaining acceptance as an alternative to stick framing. Architects and manufacturers say the technology is a viable design alternative, too, and believe that it is only a matter of time until it will be the dominant method used to build homes.


There are engineering solutions that make sense for SIPs," says Mike Bryan, division manager for panels at SIPs manufacturer Premiere Industries in Fife, Wash. "Some areas have high [stick-framing] labor rates, and it makes sense to use SIPs to reduce the cost." Still, stick framing is cheaper because the lumber infrastructure is there and has been for a long time, he says. "In the panel industry, the infrastructure is not totally in place. Once it is, the price will come down and will be less than stick framing. Besides, demand in the production home market is bigger than the SIPs industry can supply right now.