Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)

An Apple Home is built with Structural Insulated Panels instead of 2x6 stud and fiberglass batt insulation on exterior walls, and we use Advanced Framing techniques for garage and interior walls. The result is superior strength, an exceptional insulating factor, economy of material use, speed of assembly and environmental responsibility. We encourage you to learn more and take advantage of this proven and elegant building system (see our links page for the Structural Insulated Panel Association).

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What are SIPs?

"SIP" is an acronym for Structural Insulated Panel. Bonding high performance rigid foam insulation to oriented strand board (OSB), these engineered building components result in a building product that is predictable, resource efficient (GREEN) and cost effective. SIPs are used to build floor systems, wall systems and roof systems on all types of buildings.

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Strength and Durability

In 1995 the Kobe earthquake killed 6,000 and injured 415,000 people. 100,000 houses were flattened and 185,000 partially destroyed. The few homes left standing in the area were built using Structural Insulated Panels (SIP).  Apple Homes are built with SIPs not only because they are 4 times stronger than standard 2x6 construction, but they also bring a noticeable comfort, energy efficiency and reduction in the use of raw material.  A SIP house will last many generations because its walls are absolutely sealed to prevent air, moisture or insect infiltration. An Apple Home is super strong, very comfortable and extremely efficient. All of this adds up to a house that requires a minimum of maintenance over the years. As stick built homes become a thing of the past and lose value, Apple Built homes will remain durable and hold or increase their value.

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A Better Structure

SIPs outperform other building methods in virtually every category because the insulation is a component of a system, rather than thrown in when everything else is almost done. Even 4-inch SIP walls have been proven to be more energy efficient than 6-inch stud framed walls. A study by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (see our links page for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory site) proves that a 4-inch SIP wall outperforms 2"x4" stick and batt construction, and even edges out 2"x6" construction in terms of thermal performance.

Because SIPs are the structural elements, there are virtually no studs to cause breaks in the insulation. The end result is a structure that performs up to spec in real-world conditions. Unlike stick and batt construction, which can be subject to poorly installed and even missing insulation, SIPs structural and insulation elements are joined as one. There are no hidden gaps because a solid layer of foam insulation is integral to panel construction.

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Why Do SIP Houses Outperform Other Houses?

Apple Built SIP homes are vastly more energy efficient, stronger, quieter and more draft free than older technology systems like stud framing with common fiberglass insulation. Consider this: Fiberglass is sometimes used for furnace filters because air moves through it so freely. On the other hand, rigid insulation is used as solid a component insulation in the refrigeration industry because of its inherent energy efficiency and lack of air infiltration. These attributes are built right into every Apple Home. Less air movement or leakage through the walls translates into fewer drafts, reduced noise penetration, lower energy bills and a significantly more comfortable and controllable indoor living environment.

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Can I Expect A Return On My Investment?

You can count on it!  SIPs are clearly one technology upgrade that will always pay you back. All other upgrades (countertops, floor coverings, appliances, light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, etc.) will eventually need replacing after years of normal wear and tear. SIP walls, of course, will never need replacing and will never go out of style!

For return on investment, SIP homes beat stick-frame every time. Why? ENERGY SAVINGS.

Structural Insulated Panels account for a fraction of a home's construction cost, usually under ten percent. And yet with SIPs the energy savings are truly staggering over the life of the home. To see just how much SIPs can save you, click here. If these savings were applied in a disciplined way against the principal mortgage loan, years could be cut from the term of the mortgage!

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Tests at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) confirm that super airtight, energy-efficient homes can be built today with SIPs.

A SIP room has significantly outperformed a 2x6 wood-framed and fiberglass insulated wall in controlled testing under identical laboratory conditions at the government’s Oak Ridge National Laboratories (ORNL). Third party verification from studies at ORNL’s large-scale, climate simulator showed that SIP construction can be nearly 15 times more airtight than wood-frame construction.

Under blower door testing, a room with SIP walls, a SIP ceiling, a window, a door, pre-routed wiring chases, and electrical outlets showed 90% less air leakage than an otherwise identical room built with 2x6 studs, OSB sheathing, fiberglass insulation and drywall.  

At 50 Pascals of negative pressure the wood-framed room leaked 126 cubic feet of air per minute (cfm), while the SIP room was calculated to leak 9 cfm (Figure 1, click here) 

Air tightness relates directly to durability. An integral part of the SIP building system is properly sealed joints. One reason for the high performance of the SIP test room is that the joints were properly sealed. When sealed properly to prevent air infiltration and exfiltration, moisture is prevented from entering the building envelope and long-term durability is ensured. 

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Surprising Energy Savings

SIPs are proven to be up to 50% more energy efficient than required by the model energy code. Perhaps more significantly, this same study shows that under identical conditions (an indoor temperature of 70 degrees F and an outdoor temperature of 0 degrees F), the room with 4-inch nominal SIP walls and 31/2 inch expanded polystyrene (EPS) core used 9% less heating energy than the wood-framed room with 2x6 walls and R-19 fiberglass insulation (Figure 2, click here)

The comparison demonstrates the fact that a wall’s real performance is not the same as the rating of its insulation alone. Approximately 15-25% of a stick wall’s area consists of framing lumber – studs, headers, corner posts, and plates. That lumber transmits heat at a much higher rate than the insulated cavities do. Wood members in the wall create cold zones on wall interiors, and warm zones on the outside skin. Add the effects of thermal short-cuts at corners and joints where wall plates meet the floor or roof framing, and the actual insulating value can be cut by close to a third. (Figure 3, click here)  Then add the common “worst case" installation procedures for batt insulation, such as “rounded shoulders," 2% cavity voids, compression around wiring, and paper facers stapled to the inside of studs, and performance drops to R-11.

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SIPs = COMFORT + Additional Savings

The inherent air tightness of SIP construction means fewer drafts, warmer walls and ceilings, and a more comfortable home. That means your home will maintain a more even temperature throughout the day and night, and your heating system and air conditioning system won’t have to work overtime to keep you comfortable. You won’t be annoyed by "cold spots" and drafts. (Figure 4 click here)

It also means saving money on HVAC systems. In wood-frame construction, typically heating and cooling loss can be 30% or more due to air leakage. Since SIP construction is inherently more airtight, the size of the heating and air conditioning systems required for the house can be reduced and the cost reduced significantly.

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SIPs Make Solar Energy Cost Effective

Solar energy has long lagged in the market because of cost factors. When SIPs are used in house construction, solar panels to generate home electrical demands not only work - the are affordable by showing a short term payback.  After the payback period, it is all money in the bank.

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How it Works

Hydronic heating puts the heat in the floor under your feet, gently warming your home. This results in very even heating, superior comfort and significant energy and money savings. By contrast, conventional forced-air systems produce uneven heat and the highest air temperatures end up near the ceilings.

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Hydronic or radiant floor heating is Apple’s preferred method of home heating. By embedding special tubing in a concrete slab floor, or by attaching the tubing to the under-side of a framed floor, heated water in the tubing flows through the floor system, thereby evenly warming the floors. The warm water circulating through the tubing originates from a high efficiency on-demand water heater or from a high efficiency heat pump. Separate radiant heat zones are controlled by a thermostat through a manifold which distributes the flow of warm water to the individual circuits of tubing within each zone. Any kind of finished flooring can be placed over these heated floors.

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Comfortable and Quiet

The biggest selling point for radiant floor heating is comfort. Until you've lived with warm floors it's difficult to understand just how comfortable it is! And, radiant floor heat is silent. Unlike forced-air heat, there is no noise from a furnace, a fan, or airflow through ducts.

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Improved Air Quality

Radiant heat will improve your indoor air quality. A study made in Germany shows that radiant heated floors decrease the dust mite population by 50 to 80%. That's because there are no ducts to accumulate dust, dirt and allergens. In a conventional forced air system, filters often become loaded with dust, forcing the home’s air supply through this layer of debris. With radiant heat, there are no filters to worry about or to change.

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