Project Overview

St. Rita’s Catholic Church

High-Performance SIP Roof System for a Large Worship Space

St. Rita’s Catholic Church in Tulare, California, is a multi-building parish campus designed to serve a growing faith community. The approximately 24,000-square-foot complex includes a main sanctuary, youth center, kitchen, classrooms, administrative offices, and a rectory with on-site living. The sanctuary serves as the spiritual and architectural centerpiece of the campus, hosting regular worship services, ceremonies, and community gatherings.

Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) were used for the roof system, supporting the performance, comfort, and architectural requirements of the sanctuary and associated spaces.

Design and Sustainability

The design of the church prioritized an open, uplifting interior environment that supports worship, acoustics, and clear sightlines while remaining comfortable year-round. Large-volume spaces like sanctuaries present unique challenges for energy efficiency and thermal comfort, particularly in California’s Central Valley climate.

A high-performance roof assembly was critical to reducing heat gain, improving temperature stability, and supporting long-term operational efficiency. The SIP roof system plays a key role in managing energy loads while maintaining a quiet, comfortable interior environment for congregants.

Why SIPs?

Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) were selected for the roof system to support the sanctuary’s architectural and performance goals. The design required long roof spans and cathedral-style ceilings without excessive framing that could interfere with acoustics or visual openness.

SIPs provided a structurally efficient roof solution that combines strength, continuous insulation, and airtightness in a single system. This made them well suited for a worship space where comfort, durability, and clean interior lines were essential.

Benefits of SIPs

Using SIPs for the roof delivered several important benefits:

• Improved Thermal Performance:
  Continuous insulation in the SIP roof reduces heat gain and loss, helping maintain comfortable interior conditions in a large-volume space.

• Enhanced Acoustic Environment:
  The solid, continuous roof assembly helps limit air movement and external noise, supporting a quieter sanctuary environment.

• Structural Efficiency:
  SIP roof panels allow for long spans and open interiors without complex truss systems, preserving sightlines and architectural intent.

• Construction Efficiency:
  The integrated roof system simplified installation and reduced construction complexity compared to traditional framed roof assemblies.

Construction and Innovation

The SIP roof system enabled a clean, efficient structural solution for the sanctuary’s open interior volume. By combining structure and insulation into a single assembly, SIPs reduced the number of components required while improving overall envelope continuity. This approach supports both performance and long-term durability for a building intended to serve its community for generations.

Challenges and Solutions

Large worship spaces are typically difficult to condition efficiently due to high ceilings and expansive roof areas. SIPs addressed this challenge by delivering a high-performance roof system that limits thermal loss and supports consistent interior comfort, helping reduce long-term energy demand while enhancing the congregant experience.

Key Features

• Catholic church and parish campus in Tulare, California

• Main sanctuary with large, open worship space

• Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) used for roof construction

• Long-span roof system supporting cathedral-style ceilings

• Improved comfort and acoustic performance

• Energy-efficient roof assembly for a large-volume building