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I N FO L I N K - B P N
FACADES, STRUCTURE & BUILDING ENVELOPE
HABITECH SYSTEMS USED SIPS FOR THE MAJOR OF THE STRUCTURAL WALLS FOR THEIR HAWTHORN SOLAR EXTENSION PROJECT. THEIR SPECIAL SYSTEM IS CLAD IN MAGNESIUM OXIDE CLADDING WHICH IS MADE FROM ALL NATURAL MATERIALS AND ARE FIRE, WATER AND UV RESISTANT MAKING IT A SAFE, CLEAN AND LONG LASTING MATERIAL. PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAOLO BENINI
the outset. Western Australian architect Andrew T Boyne, who used SIP panels for all the walls, floors and roof of the completed Augusta Beach House (featured on page 49), also said the use of SIPs helped him “create a building that was built of insulating foam like a huge esky”, which is a more interesting way of saying “ESD alert!”. Contributing to this green badge is the use of fewer joints in SIPs, which means a tighter building assembly. In fact, a study by the largest US Department of Energy, Science and Energy laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratories (ORNL), found that a SIP-constructed home was considerably more airtight than a wood-framed and fiberglass-insulated room when subjected to identical climate conditions and a blower door test. Bondor’s Paul Adams, who did not work with either Smith or Boyne on their projects, tells us a similar story of the green goodness of composite systems such as its Insulliving building system: “Bondor composite insulated steel products address deficiencies in energy efficiency by creating a continuous thermal barrier around the home. This reduces heating and cooling
loss caused by air leakage and thermal transfer resulting in up to a 40 per cent reduction in energy costs for the home owner.”
BUT HOW DOES IT ACTUALLY WORK? Despite the proclaimed goodness of SIPs, the fact remains that architects and builders who are unfamiliar with prefab will need to ‘re-learn’ the construction process when they first use SIPs. The first step to a SIP-constructed project, according to Adams, is fairly simple: architects, building designers and builders will advocate its use to clients, with the pitch that it makes for a faster build process, and leads to a home which is more cost-effective and environmentally friendly. But the next step doesn’t come as naturally, and differs from project to project. Bondor recommends that architects create a set of plans as per a normal house design, typically with an architectural skillion or gable style roof. It is also not rare for architects to adapt the existing plans and designs already created by SIP manufacturers, with little change made to their drawings other than modifying wall thickness.
“A STUDY BY THE LARGEST US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, SCIENCE AND ENERGY LABORATORY FOUND THAT A SIPCONSTRUCTED HOME WAS CONSIDERABLY MORE AIRTIGHT THAN A WOODFRAMED AND FIBERGLASSINSULATED ROOM WHEN SUBJECTED TO IDENTICAL CLIMATE CONDITIONS AND A BLOWER” DOOR TEST.