Green Home Construction

[mca]

Anyone here have a SIPS home and spray insulation?

If so, are you happy with the result?

[kfosburg]

I do... PM me or let me know which forum this moves to...

Karl

[Icemaster]

No SIP's but did the icynene on the addition 18 months ago. I'd do it again.

[mca]

Originally Posted by Icemaster

No SIP's but did the icynene on the addition 18 months ago. I'd do it again.

Is that because you feel that there is a noticeable difference between the icynene and regular insulation?

[71T Targa]

Here's some work my BIL and sister are doing: Big Bang Solutions for Better Global Impact

[turbo6bar]

Consider cellulose insulation as an alternative to spray foam. When consider cost to manufacture and impact to environment, cellulose is preferable to spray foam and fiberglass. You can utilize loose blown insulation or dense-pack cellulose.

I'm rebuilding a 60 year old home currently, and taking extra precautions during rough framing to allow dense pack cellulose in the walls and roof rafters (creating an unvented attic space. The forums at jlconline and greenbuildingadvisor are filled with great information and advice.
jurgen

[Icemaster]

Originally Posted by mca

Is that because you feel that there is a noticeable difference between the icynene and regular insulation?

Yes. The side of the house with the blown cellulose in the ceiling and old school FG batt in the walls is defninitely comfortable, but is more prone to temp variances. The newer side stays much more consistent.

The analytical side of me says that there's too many variables to really do a fair apples to apples comparison to say its just due to the insulation, but that's the single biggest difference old to new and has a higher R value, no air gaps or pockets from not being pushed in all the way etc, so it's going to get the credit until proven otherwise.

Where I really appreciated it was in the installation. In and out in 1 day. Really sped up the build. We had the inspections done, insulation put in, and drywall up with a first coat of mud on in the span of 4 days. Cost-wise, I think it was about a wash.

[island911]

I thought that was done with green paint?

Seriously, most everyone wants Smart home construction, which is cost effective and livable. Engineers and Architects have been balancing efficiencies for sometime with out the ridiculous guise of saving the planet thru construction. If the balance of need is truly minimal impact on the planet, find a cave somewhere.

Sorry for the sarcasm, but I get Soooo tired of everything being green-washed.

Somebody PLEASE make it stop!

[mca]

Originally Posted by island911

I thought that was done with green paint?

Seriously, most everyone wants Smart home construction, which is cost effective and livable. Engineers and Architects have been balancing efficiencies for sometime with out the ridiculous guise of saving the planet thru construction. If the balance of need is truly minimal impact on the planet, find a cave somewhere.

Sorry for the sarcasm, but I get Soooo tired of everything being green-washed.

Somebody PLEASE make it stop!

Dude, I hear ya. I'm not a hippy, tree-hugging, planet-saving kind of person. But I'll do my part when it makes financial sense.

There are some really new, neat and affordable ways to conserve energy. Using SIPS (structural insulated panels) and spray foam are two good examples.

If the technology is there and the price is right, it only makes sense to use it.

FWIW, I also priced out solar panels. What a joke! It would have cost my somewhere between $20k-$30k just to generate enough energy to heat my water. And that wasn't even a guarantee - the water would be tied to a backup system. You would think that by now, solar panels / technology would be much more affordable.

At his point my house is about 80% complete. Just looking for some feedback from those who have implemented the SIPS and spray foam.

Lastly, it wouldn't be so bad to be "off grid" at some point. I'd love nothing more than to have a self-sustaining home.

[mca]

Originally Posted by 71T Targa

Here's some work my BIL and sister are doing: Big Bang Solutions for Better Global Impact

Nice! I see they are using SIPS.

Can't wait to see how they help my energy bill. I probably won't get into my house until January though.

[71T Targa]

Originally Posted by mca

Nice! I see they are using SIPS.

Can't wait to see how they help my energy bill. I probably won't get into my house until January though.

Yes, you should keep tabs on what they are doing. Maybe 'green' isn't quite the right word, but that are doing some very cool things.

[mca]

Originally Posted by 71T Targa

Yes, you should keep tabs on what they are doing. Maybe 'green' isn't quite the right word, but that are doing some very cool things.

Wondering if they are using spray foam in the attic?

[speedracing944]

We just toured a friends home they built themselves using the SIPS construction method. They were raving about it. They also employ geothermic heating.

Speedy

[oldE]

Originally Posted by mca

FWIW, I also priced out solar panels. What a joke! It would have cost my somewhere between $20k-$30k just to generate enough energy to heat my water. And that wasn't even a guarantee - the water would be tied to a backup system. You would think that by now, solar panels / technology would be much more affordable.

Man, that is highway robbery, unless your house is the size of a small motel.

I installed a vacuum tube domestic solar water heating system last winter. $4000. would get you a 300 liter tank, a 30 tube array and the controller and pump to make it work. I used another $1K in pipes and valves to tie it in to my old system, .

I am just below the 45th parallel and have had only one period in the past 9 months (last week) when it was cloudy for a solid week so the system had to rely on the backup. At times, I am thinking about how to get rid of excess heat. (My system is a little larger.)

The real secret with rigid foam and spray insulation is they stop air movement. You can do the same with cellulose batts or blown in, but the efficiency of the insulation is largely dependent upon the air sealing job. (you can have the finest down-filled sleeping bag in the world, but if you leave the zipper open, you're gonna be cold!)

Hope you enjoy the new abode!

Les

[LakeCleElum]

Originally Posted by island911

Sorry for the sarcasm, but I get Soooo tired of everything being green-washed.

Somebody PLEASE make it stop!

Thax for saying what I'm thinking Island......Hear it every night on the news. Just makes me change the channel.

[Mark Henry]

If I was building a new home I'd do it ICF:
Insulating concrete forms - Google Search

[kfosburg]

I designed and had a company called "Murus" engineer and build our SIP home in their factory. The construction pace was cool to see how fast it went together. This was 10 years ago almost exact. The insulation value is excellent and noticeable - especially our summer AC bills. The downside was the construction process was difficult because we had to deal with two builders - the GC and the SIP builder. This led to misunderstandings as to who was responsible for what - like insulating the gaps between the windows and the SIPs for example! The electrician also had difficulty grasping how to run electrical in SIPs.

I also think that the acoustic attenuation is not as great with SIPs versus loose insulation.

I would still do SIPs or maybe concrete if I had it to do over again. I would also find an architect and builder that can handle everything instead of splitting the load.

Karl

[mca]

Fortunately we used a "design build" company. So everyone was on the same page - subs already had experience with the SIPS.

It was amazing to see how fast the walls went up.

But to your point, it could be a nightmare if the subs aren't familiars with SIPS.

[rvanderpyl]

Our house addition is SIP panel walls on a timber frame, it is noticably more temperature stable than the older part of the house which was milled log. We put single sided sip panels over the outside of the log part, and super insullated the roof, but it still needs more heating than the new part. Even during the coldest days in the winter I can keep the new area nice and warm with just the fireplace. And if it is sunny it often doesn't need any more than that as we have a big bank of windows that face south. Weo used ICF boocks for the new foundation, and it makes a noticable difference in the basement over the old cinder block the original house used to sit on.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by Mark Henry

If I was building a new home I'd do it ICF:
Insulating concrete forms - Google Search

In a few years, we plan to purchase some land and put up a weekend house. I was planning to use ICF. Seems to be the way to go. Brings the phrase "Bullet Proof" to a new meaning...