Supreme Insulated Panel Systems

Structural insulated panels (SIPs) are high performance building panels used in floors, walls, and roofs for residential and light commercial buildings. The panels are typically made by sandwiching a core of rigid EPS foam insulation between two structural skins of oriented strand board (OSB). We at Supreme Insulated Panel Systems use MGO boards instead that are far better for the tropical climate and increase the impact resistance and are termite proof. Other skin material can be used for specific purposes. SIPs are manufactured under factory controlled conditions and can be custom designed for each home. The result is a building system that is extremely strong, energy efficient and cost effective. Building with SIPs will save you time, money, and labor.

Because SIPs are prefabricated, the amount of additional framing required is minimal. SIPs are always straight and true, there are far fewer callbacks, no culling studs, or need to straighten walls. SIPs also provide a uniform nailing surface for both interior and exterior finishing.

Pricing information can be obtained by contacting any of SIPA’s Manufacturer or Dealer/Distributor members. However, the material price does not reflect the labor savings capable with SIP construction. A study conducted by the R.S. Means unit of Reed Construction Data shows that building with SIPs can reduce framing labor needs by as much as 55 percent over conventional wood framing. Builders can also expect decreased job site waste disposal costs and savings on HVAC equipment. Energy-efficient SIP buildings demand a higher market price because of the utility savings they offer to home buyers. When all these factors are considered, building with SIPs is often less expensive than other building systems.

The construction of a SIP home or commercial building begins with the construction documents. Once the construction documents are in the hands of an Extreme professional, they are converted to SIP shop drawings that give the dimensions of each individual panel. The shop drawings are reviewed by the builder, engineer, the building owner, and other involved parties. Once the shop drawings are finalized, the SIPs are fabricated and shipped to the job site for installation.

R-values for SIPs depend on the thickness of the SIP and the type of core material that is used. Static R-values, rate the effectiveness of insulating material. However, they do not accurately describe how products perform in a real world setting. When fiberglass or other types of insulation are installed, they are installed around structural members made of wood or metal which have a very poor insulating value. Field installed insulation materials are also prone to installation imperfections. The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has studied and tested the performance of entire wall assemblies in large sections. The resulting whole-wall R-value data reveals that a 4.5” SIP wall rated at R14 outperformed a 2”x6” wall with R-19 fiberglass insulation.