Steel S.I.P.S. - What's next?

[hausdok]

Steel structural insulated panel systems; is anyone teaching inspectors about these systems? Heck no!

Could these soon be the next best new green technology that home inspectors will soon start to see? Maybe.

To learn more, click here.

To learn more about this particular SIPS product, click here.

Or here if that doesn't work...

click here

[Scottpat]

I have seen wood/OSB SIPS but never steel SIPS. Kind of reminds me of the old Coleman Ice Chest!

[hausdok]

Hi Scott,

My first thought when I read "steel" S.I.P.S. was that these walls were skinned with sheet steel panels, because traditional S.I.P.S. have OSB panels that provide them their strength. However, in this system, the "panel" is a metal stud wall with a top and bottom channel for strength and EPS infill to provide insulation, thus creating a large "panel". Looking at those photos, I had to ask myself whether thermal bridging across studs would cause ghosting on the interior walls and make the interior look like one is living inside a jail cell surrounded by bars.

The reason I started this thread is that I think very few home inspectors understand or actually consider the building "science" behind what they're seeing in these new systems. If one studies the texts available for the market today, it's very obvious that the profession's trainers are seriously behind the times when it comes to building science. The basic traditional construction techniques are taught and the basics of the electro-mechanical systems, but most texts are decades behind current technology. Some of these texts don't even show common techniques that have been around for decades, such as plank and frame construction.

When you consider that literally thousands of new cutting edge building technologies are tried every year - many of which are adopted - it looks like technology is fast outpacing the profession's capacity to learn the new technology and pass it on to the inspector masses in a timely manner. If this keeps up, I can see a collision looming in the future between cutting-edge builders and home inspectors who're still thinking 1960's technologies and techniques and haven't a clue. Nowhere is this knowledge gap going to be more evident, in my opinion, than it's going to be with "green" homes.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[JeffD]

There is quite a bit of published information about building with OSB faced SIPs but almost none regarding building with Metal faced SIPs. A guide for building with Metal SIPs would be very useful to homeowners, designer, contractors and building officials. Yes, they are both SIPs, but the characteristics of their facings is where their application and details differ.

[Richard Moore]

Looking at those photos, I had to ask myself whether thermal bridging across studs would cause ghosting on the interior walls and make the interior look like one is living inside a jail cell surrounded by bars.

Mike, I think they (Transcon) addressed that by using a very open and slim web pattern for the studs. See http://www.transconsteel.com/products/u ... e/stud.asp

(BTW...I added a link to your original post as the second one didn't seem to work. Edit this out if you edit that.)

[Marc]

Hi Scott,

My first thought when I read "steel" S.I.P.S. was that these walls were skinned with sheet steel panels, because traditional S.I.P.S. have OSB panels that provide them their strength. However, in this system, the "panel" is a metal stud wall with a top and bottom channel for strength and EPS infill to provide insulation, thus creating a large "panel". Looking at those photos, I had to ask myself whether thermal bridging across studs would cause ghosting on the interior walls and make the interior look like one is living inside a jail cell surrounded by bars.

The reason I started this thread is that I think very few home inspectors understand or actually consider the building "science" behind what they're seeing in these new systems. If one studies the texts available for the market today, it's very obvious that the profession's trainers are seriously behind the times when it comes to building science. The basic traditional construction techniques are taught and the basics of the electro-mechanical systems, but most texts are decades behind current technology. Some of these texts don't even show common techniques that have been around for decades, such as plank and frame construction.

When you consider that literally thousands of new cutting edge building technologies are tried every year - many of which are adopted - it looks like technology is fast outpacing the profession's capacity to learn the new technology and pass it on to the inspector masses in a timely manner. If this keeps up, I can see a collision looming in the future between cutting-edge builders and home inspectors who're still thinking 1960's technologies and techniques and haven't a clue. Nowhere is this knowledge gap going to be more evident, in my opinion, than it's going to be with "green" homes.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

Magazines do that, report emerging technologies and materials, though I haven't seen steel SIP's in JLC yet.

Steel in SIP's fixes the lateral deflection issue, makes the product green but costs extra because of the price of steel. I don't get the part where they say termites won't eat it. They love it, at least the ones here do.

Marc

[gtblum]

It reminds me of these

[JeffD]

Magazines do that, report emerging technologies and materials, though I haven't seen steel SIP's in JLC yet.

Steel in SIP's fixes the lateral deflection issue, makes the product green but costs extra because of the price of steel. I don't get the part where they say termites won't eat it. They love it, at least the ones here do.

Marc

Marc,

Termites might nest in the foam core of a steel skinned SIP, but it provides no food source for the insect. If they are nesting in the foam core there must be a source of moisture and wood/food near by. Some metal SIP companies can provide a foam core that is borate treated. This can eliminate nesting insects.

[cmkavala]

Hi Scott,

My first thought when I read "steel" S.I.P.S. was that these walls were skinned with sheet steel panels, because traditional S.I.P.S. have OSB panels that provide them their strength. However, in this system, the "panel" is a metal stud wall with a top and bottom channel for strength and EPS infill to provide insulation, thus creating a large "panel". Looking at those photos, I had to ask myself whether thermal bridging across studs would cause ghosting on the interior walls and make the interior look like one is living inside a jail cell surrounded by bars.

The reason I started this thread is that I think very few home inspectors understand or actually consider the building "science" behind what they're seeing in these new systems. If one studies the texts available for the market today, it's very obvious that the profession's trainers are seriously behind the times when it comes to building science. The basic traditional construction techniques are taught and the basics of the electro-mechanical systems, but most texts are decades behind current technology. Some of these texts don't even show common techniques that have been around for decades, such as plank and frame construction.

When you consider that literally thousands of new cutting edge building technologies are tried every year - many of which are adopted - it looks like technology is fast outpacing the profession's capacity to learn the new technology and pass it on to the inspector masses in a timely manner. If this keeps up, I can see a collision looming in the future between cutting-edge builders and home inspectors who're still thinking 1960's technologies and techniques and haven't a clue. Nowhere is this knowledge gap going to be more evident, in my opinion, than it's going to be with "green" homes.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

Magazines do that, report emerging technologies and materials, though I haven't seen steel SIP's in JLC yet.

Steel in SIP's fixes the lateral deflection issue, makes the product green but costs extra because of the price of steel. I don't get the part where they say termites won't eat it. They love it, at least the ones here do.

Marc

[cmkavala]

Marc,

we have been building with steel, aluminum , OSB and fibercement since 1994, we prefer steel SIPs http://www.picturetrail.com/cmkavala

termites will not eat them foam core is treated with borate, JLC june 2012 ran an article about steel SIPs being used in Haiti

[Erby]

Chris, welcome to the board.

Just a note. While a little refresher never hurts, you might want to check the dates on the posts you're answering.

This one was from three years ago. A lot's happened since then.