A SIP home or commercial building allows for better control over indoor air quality, because the building's airtight envelope limits incoming air to controlled ventilation that filters contaminants and allergens. The SIP envelope doesn't have the gaps or thermal bridges of conventional framing that can cause condensation leading to potentially dangerous mold, mildew, or rot.
SIP Sustainability
Structural insulated panels are one of the most environmentally responsible building systems available. A SIP building envelope provides continuous insulation, is extremely airtight, allows for better control of indoor air quality, reduces construction waste, and helps conserve natural resources. Life-cycle analysis has shown that SIP homes have an extraordinary positive environmental impact by reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions over the home's life cycle.
Indoor Air Quality
There are a variety of ventilation strategies that can be used to provide fresh air to tight homes. These vary by climate, but most are relatively inexpensive and operate on automatic control systems, requiring no action from the homeowner.
Many believe that a SIP panel construction can be "too tight," not allowing for fresh air. This is not true. The accurate statement is that efficient, low-air-leakage SIP buildings require a complete source of fresh air that comes from intentional routes rather than arbitrary holes, gaps, and leaks. Unfiltered air that leaks into structures often unintentionally brings in dust and other outside contaminants that lower indoor air quality.
No Wall Cavities for Mold Growth
SIP structures are cavity-free. Unlike wood-framed buildings with hand-applied insulation, SIP walls and roofs are insulated uniformly. SIPs don't have the gaps, cold spots, or thermal bypasses of conventional insulation that can cause condensation leading to potentially dangerous mold, mildew, or rot.
