find out more about SIP's

 About SIPs:

Structural Insulated Panels or SIP’s were developed in the late 1940’s by Dow Chemical and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Since that time, thousands of structures have been built, tested and proven to perform superior in all aspects to standard building materials. SIP’s have become the fastest growing building system in the United States due to increase cost of current building methods, escalating demand for higher quality, more energy efficient and environmental compatible construction. SIP’s are constructed of an inner core of insulation material sandwiched between two skins of load carrying material, thereby forming a load bearing sandwich panel.

The structural design of sandwich construction is structurally stronger and higher quality than standard pre-engineered building materials. By selecting the correct core material, these panels are also 3 times better insulated (resulting in up to 50% reduction on energy costs) and are quieter, faster to install, are more durable, are more insect and earthquake resistant and provide increased fire protection over standard pre-engineered building materials. These elements give advantages to both the builder and the consumer.

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 about our SIP's technology

 sip wall 

The phenomenal success of SIPs depends almost exclusively on the development of the OSB. Oriented strand board (OSB) is a structural (load bearing) panel product made from wood strands, flakes or wafers bonded with exterior-grade adhesives such as phenol-formaldehyde or isocyanate, under intense heat and pressure.

OSB panels are generally manufactured from aspen poplar in the northern part of North America, and southern yellow pine in the south, however other hardwood and softwood species, alone or in combinations, may also be used. The product is manufactured in three or more layers with the strands of both surface layers aligned in the longitudinal panel direction, while those of the core layer are aligned perpendicular to the length of the panel. The alignment of strands gives OSB panels improved mechanical properties (strength and stiffness) and physical properties (dimensional stability) in the direction of alignment.  

find out more about  OSB 

 OSB panel 

 > When compared by weight, wood is used more than all plastics, metals, and concrete combined.

> Kilo for Kilo, wood is stronger than steel because it has a more favorable strength-to-weight ratio.

> The Structural Board Association reports that Japan is updating its building codes, which is expected to result in more wood frame construction. The decision is expected to allow wood frame buildings to be built on 73 percent of the available lots in Tokyo.

for more information visit APA - The Engineered Wood Association

> Analysis of earthquake damage in California and Japan revealed that panel sheathed wood frame structures fared better than did masonry and concrete buildings.

> In 1980, North American structural wood panel production was 19.3 billion square feet (17 million cubic meters). By 1994, this figure had grown to 32.6 billion square feet (28.8 million cubic meters) -- that's enough to circle the earth 13 times.

> In the 1990s OSB has proven to be an economical and competitive structural panel.        Unlike steel or concrete, OSB is made from a completely renewable resource -- small-diameter, fast-growing trees.

Demand for engineered wood products, including OSB, grew 400 percent between 1992 and 2000.

Information about roof trusses we make

our developing tour

 Look at our drawings for architect's, about trusses

I thought you might be interested in the performance of my house. We installed electric convector heaters, which look quite good, and only cost £55 each. They are on a 750W setting, and have individual temperature controls. We had them put on a timed circuit so that we could use them like a central heating system. Through the winter, we have left them on 24 hours/day controlling the lounge, dining. kitchen, computer room(2nd bed) and hobby room (3rd bed) all at 22C. Our bedroom is controlled at 18C. We also have the immersion heater on for an hour every morning through the winter, and longer occasionally. During the summer, we used up to 5 air-conditioners (6 installed) to keep the temperature down to 25C.

The bills for the first 9 months of use add up to almost £200, which is very satisfying.

Regards,

Tom

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