Pictured above is a cross-section of our walls, exciting eh?!
Some of the sections are fairly boring and need no further information, like the plasterboard for instance – not a whole lot to say about that!
A few of the sections do however have something interesting going on, and below we go into a bit more detail about them (sorry plasterboard, you didn’t make the cut)!
> > Structural Insulated Panels – SIPs
SIPs are a high-performance building system for residential and light commercial construction like our office units. They are widely used in construction and are considered an environmentally friendly insulation choice.
Structural Insulated Panels are essentially made of an insulating foam core sandwiched between two structural facings. The foam core is usually made of expanded polystyrene (EPS). The high percentage of air trapped in polystyrene makes it a remarkable insulator.
The structural facings are usually made of 100mm oriented strand board (OSB), sourced from small diameter, fast-growing trees. These trees are generally harvested from plantations to avoid unnecessary deforestation.
SIPs are manufactured under factory controlled conditions and can be fabricated to suit nearly any building design. The outcome is a building system that is extremely robust, energy-efficient and cost-effective, which is why it’s our first choice for our garden office-pods and self-contained one bedroom units.
What is EPS?
As discussed above, the foam core is usually made of expanded polystyrene (EPS). Expanded Polystyrene insulation, is manufactured using beads of foam within a mould, heat or steam is then applied directly to the beads which causes them to expand and fuse together. This process produces a closed cell structure, not a closed cell insulation board, due to voids that can occur between the beads.
Benefits of SIP Panels
Build Faster
The SIP panels are assembled in our warehouse in Ballinalack for use in our self-contained units and garden office pods. We fabricate the arrangement of panels according to our architect’s drawings, including pre-cut window frames and door openings. The SIP panels install quickly, saving us the time required for framing, insulating, and sheathing stick-framed walls.
This all leads to a reduction in costs such as project management, scaffolding, framing labour and much more.
Environmentally Responsible Building Material
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) are one of the most environmentally responsible building systems available. A SIP building envelope provides uninterrupted insulation, is exceptionally airtight, allows for better control over indoor air quality, reduces construction waste, and helps save natural resources.
Once installed, SIP panels deliver unrivaled insulation and airtightness, which reduces energy costs over the building’s lifetime. SIPs are known to be about 50% more energy-efficient than traditional timber framing. A SIP building envelope has minimal thermal bridging and delivers excellent airtightness.
SIPs are highly energy-efficient and therefore contribute positively to the environment by reducing CO2 levels. They also use significantly less energy during the manufacturing process compared to traditional construction methods and have lower embodied energy than traditional construction materials, such as steel, concrete and masonry.
> > Acoustic Rockwool
50mm high density rockwool acoustic insulation is made from stone wool – an excellent material for blocking, absorbing and even enhancing sound where required.
Acoustic wall insulation helps reduce sound transfer through internal and external walls in both residential and commercial properties.
Sometimes referred to as ‘sound insulation’, it promotes comfort and privacy, protecting people from ‘outside-to-inside’ noise such as traffic and ‘inside-to-inside’ noise from neighbouring dwellings.
Here’s a handy reminder of what these are in case you want print it off and put it in your wallet 😉
