Project Overview

The Hangout Hangar

High-Performance SIP Construction for Aviation, Hospitality, and Recreation

The Hangout Hangar is a mixed-use aviation and hospitality facility designed to support aircraft operations while providing comfortable, year-round spaces for pilots and guests. Located in a remote Montana setting, the building includes an airplane hangar, pilot’s lounge, lodging accommodations, a kitchen, and indoor pickleball courts—all under one roof.

The project required a construction approach capable of handling large open volumes, frequent door operation, and varied occupancy needs while maintaining durability, energy efficiency, and interior comfort. Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) were used as the primary building envelope system to meet these demands.

Design and Sustainability

The building was designed to balance industrial aviation functions with human-centered hospitality and recreation spaces. Large hangar volumes, high ceilings, and a 40' × 12' overhead aircraft door present unique challenges for thermal control and airtightness, especially in a cold-climate, remote location.

Sustainability and long-term operational efficiency were central to the design. The project emphasizes a high-performance envelope, durable materials, and efficient systems to reduce energy demand, simplify maintenance, and support reliable year-round use.

Why SIPs?

Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) were selected to provide a continuous, high-performance building envelope capable of supporting both aviation and occupied spaces. SIP construction offered superior insulation, reduced air leakage, and structural efficiency compared to conventional framing—critical for a building with large open areas and mixed uses.

By using SIPs throughout the envelope, the project team was able to simplify construction, improve thermal continuity, and deliver predictable performance without relying on multiple wall systems for different building zones.

Benefits of SIPs

SIPs delivered several key advantages for The Hangout Hangar:

• Energy Efficiency:
  Continuous insulation and reduced air leakage help limit heat loss despite large volumes and frequent door operation.

• Durability and Strength:
  SIP construction provides a robust envelope well-suited to aviation facilities and high-use recreational spaces.

• Interior Comfort:
  The high-performance envelope supports consistent interior conditions across hangar, lounge, lodging, kitchen, and recreation areas.

• Construction Efficiency:
  Panelized SIP assemblies streamlined framing and enclosure, reducing construction time and onsite complexity in a remote location.

Performance & Sustainability Features

• High-performance SIP building envelope providing continuous insulation and reliable thermal performance across all building uses

• Blower door testing:
  3.56 ACH50 (tested 8/27/25)
  Notable performance given the presence of a 40' × 12' overhead hangar door

• Heating, cooling, and ventilation:

  • Propane-fired boiler supplying radiant floor heat in the hangar bay

  • High-efficiency mini-split systems serving the pilot’s lounge, lodging, kitchen, and indoor pickleball courts

  • SIP envelope performance allows the facility to remain fully heated primarily through the radiant system

  • Single 1,000-gallon propane tank typically filled approximately once per year

• Foundation and slab insulation:

  • 4" EPS rigid insulation beneath the hangar concrete slab

  • Insulated concrete foundation system

  • Sealed vapor barrier with passive radon vent in a conditioned crawlspace

• High-performance windows:

  • Fiberglass-framed windows with Low-E3 coatings and argon fill

  • U-values ranging from 0.26 to 0.30

• Efficient building systems:

  • Radiant floor heating supporting large open volumes

  • High-efficiency mini-split HVAC systems

  • Energy-efficient lighting throughout the facility

  • Well-sealed envelope supporting reduced heating demand

• Durable, locally sourced materials:

  • Exterior siding composed of locally sourced wood, metal, and stone

  • Materials selected for long service life and reduced maintenance

• Site and health considerations:

  • Passive radon mitigation system

  • Efficient envelope design minimizing energy consumption in a remote location

Construction and Innovation

SIP construction enabled efficient enclosure of a building combining industrial hangar functions with hospitality and recreation spaces. The prefabricated panel system helped maintain envelope continuity across different occupancies while simplifying detailing around large openings and high-use areas.

This integrated approach reduced long-term maintenance demands and improved overall operational efficiency.

Challenges and Solutions

Designing a building that could accommodate aircraft storage, public gathering, lodging, food service, and indoor recreation required a construction system capable of delivering both strength and comfort. SIPs addressed these challenges by providing a high-performance envelope that limits air leakage, supports efficient heating, and performs reliably despite large doors, open volumes, and harsh climate conditions.

Key Features

• Mixed-use aviation facility with hangar, pilot’s lounge, lodging, kitchen, and indoor pickleball courts

• Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) wall and roof construction

• High-performance envelope for cold-climate, remote operation

• Radiant floor heating for large hangar volumes

• Durable, low-maintenance materials

• Designed for efficiency, comfort, and long-term use