FAQ's About SIPs

SIPs (Structural Insulated Panels)

SIPs buildings use on average of 50% less energy compared to conventional wooden or steel-framed houses.  Imagine the savings on your heating bill not to mention the health benefits if you build with SIPs.

The heating efficiencies are gained through to a number of technology advances and smarter building practices which significantly increase the R-insulation value of healthy homes.

SIPs minimise thermal bridging thus reducing the heat loss. Thermal bridging happens when timber or steel framing has contact with the inside wall and the outside wall thus creating a thermal bridge for the cold from the outside to travel in and the warmth from the inside to travel out.

 SIP panel construction has a number of advantages over other building systems.

• higher levels of thermal insulation
• speed of construction
• strong 
• damage-resistant construction
• cost savings
• lower levels of waste material
• our SIP panel homes tick most of the eco-green boxes.

YES, all Te Kākano homes are architecturally designed to NZ building code . Construction is overseen and signed off by a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP).  We exceed many of the New Zealand building code standards especially the healthy homes thermal values.

If you enjoy reading the technical stuff, this BRANZ SIPs evaluation study is very useful. 

Our standard fully finished cabins and homes can look no different to any house built using more common building methods.  We can customise interior finish and exterior cladding at additional cost.

Typically it will take half the time compared to the equivalent conventional timber-framed house. Compliance time can even be shortened considerably because we use standardised plans which councils will have had previous experience with.

YES, because SIP built houses are so well insulated the amount of energy required to heat or cool them is substantially reduced. SIP panels are made from materials that can readily be recycled. The wood used in the OSB (wooden outer layers of the panels) are made up of a high percentage of wood what would normally be waste timber from a timber mill. The Neopor (carbon coated polystyrene) used for insulation is recycled.