Structural insulated panel

In a testament to the durability of such panel structures, it endured the Wisconsin climate and was used by University of Wisconsin–Madison as a day care center until 1998, when it was removed to make way for a new Pharmacy School building.

With the success of the stress-skinned panels, it was suggested stronger skins could take all the structural load and eliminate the frame altogether.

The building was dismantled in 1978, and most of the panels retained their original strength with the exception of paperboard, which is unsuited to outdoor exposure.

Numerous homes in Santa Paula, Fillmore, Palm Springs, and surrounding areas use SIPs as the primary method of construction.

When manufacturing a panel with a polystyrene core both pressure and heat are required to ensure the bonding glue has penetrated and set completely.

Although a number of variations exist, in general, the foam core is first covered with an adhesive and the skin is set in place.

This is welcome news for builders in developing countries where the technology may be best suited to reduce greenhouse emissions and improve sustainability in housing but are unavailable.

A well-built home using SIPs will have a tighter building envelope and the walls will have higher insulating properties, which leads to fewer drafts and a decrease in operating costs.

Also, due to the standardized and all-in-one nature of SIPs, construction time can be less than for a frame home, as well as requiring fewer tradespeople.

An OSB skinned system structurally outperforms conventional stick framed construction in some cases; primarily in axial load strength.

[2] When tested under laboratory conditions, the SIP, included in a wall, foundation, floor, or roof system, is installed in a steady-state (no air infiltration) environment; systems incorporating fiberglass insulation are not installed in steady-state environments as they require ventilation to remove moisture.

At 15−20 kg/m2, longer panels can become difficult to handle without the use of a crane to position them, and this is a consideration that must be taken into account due to cost and site limitations.

Panels come in widths ranging from 4 to 12 inches (100–300 mm) thick and a rough cost is $4–$6/ft2 in the U.S.[5] In 4Q 2010, new methods of forming radius, sine curve, arches and tubular SIPs were commercialized.

Due to the custom nature and technical difficulty of forming and curing specialty shapes, pricing is typically three or four times that of standard panels per foot.

The air sealing features of SIP homes resulted in the US Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program to establish an inspection protocol in lieu of the typically required blower door test to assess the home's air leakage.