System Approach to the Building Envelope

Air barrier, weather resistive barrier, continuous insulation, HERS rating, building envelope…. When did construction get so complicated?  What happened to the days when designers created the plans and builders built the structure according to the designers’ plans?  Those days are long gone or at the very least, they are on the way out.  

Today we hear about systems and how components are combined to make the system work.  Structures are compared to living beings.  Today they say the buildings breathe and move with temperature changes and the building system must be able to accommodate this living and breathing.  How are designers and builders supposed to be experts on all these components, combine them into a living, breathing system and still perform their main functions of designing and building?

Today’s design build environment is truly a puzzle.

SIPs are a component that offers a system approach to the building envelope that you might want to consider for your next project. SIP systems deliver the insulation, structure, air barrier and the weather resistive barrier all in one ready to assemble product.  (Building wrap provided with package or factory installed weather resistive barriers need to be applied over the OSB to meet the water resistive barrier requirements).

Just think about it, specify or build with one material and take care of four requirements of the building envelope.  It’s almost as though you can design and build like the days of old.  GET SIPS and see what they can do for your on your next project

QUESTIONS:

Contact your local Premier Rep