Structural Integrated Panels (SIPs)

Northern climes are now thawed out enough to break ground for new construction, I suppose. It never gets cold enough to freeze the ground here. Bottom line, it's time to build, if the construction financing is available.

One green building technology to think about is Structural Integrated Panels, or for those into acronyms, SIPs.

So what are they? They're construction sandwich modules formed of exterior panel surfaces made of Oriented Strand Board (OSB). The "meat and cheese" is rigid foam plastic insulation.

Sustainable Benefits that Lead to LEED Certification


The benefits are many. First, OSB can be made from scrap material from other woodworking processes. Waste not, want not. Next, since the sandwich panels are designed by an architect using construction software, the shapes and sizes mean that they fit together on the job site like a jigsaw puzzle.

This means faster construction. There is minimal cutting and fitting, unlike conventional stud framing. This results in less scrap to haul off to the landfill.

Finally, the insulating value is effective. All these details add up to points that contribute to LEED certification.

Finding a Building Contractor

This is one of the hardest things about building green. It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks. It's hard enough to find residential building crews that even speak English today, much less understand and accept emerging construction concepts.

The best way to proceed is to work with an architect that has a few SIPs projects under his belt and use his network of general contractors and subcontractors.

So, take this green idea and run with it!

Finished Installing Radiant Barrier foil in the Attic!

My goal was to finish all my penny-pinching efforts in the attic before the summer really slammed us. And I did it! About three years ago I sprayed radiant barrier paint on the underside of the roof decking. But it was already hot. Boy, did I learn my lesson.

In this book shown on the left, the author goes into why we should take the lead in transforming America to be more energy efficient and develop alternate energy sources. He explains it in a short video that you can see if you click on it.

I won't get into a political discussion about greenhouse gasses here. I'm all about saving money on utility bills and boosting my home equity.

You see, after I did the painting, I noticed an immediate drop in my power usage from the central air conditioner. Being an insatiable fellow, and frugal, I wanted more.

Research indicated that the paint will stop between 10% - 75% of radiant heat from getting into the attic in the first place. The foil, applied to the attic floor, stops 97%. So, is my math off, or is the interior of my home being protected from about 150%? Just joking, I'm not a dolt!

I used Energy Q foil, the best on the market. This is the same stuff NASA uses. In addition to the foil, I also beefed up the attic insulation. In for a dime, in for a dollar, I always say. Do it right the first time.

There's a narrow window of opportunity between the income tax refund and the sweltering heat. I wanted to do it this year because part of the economic stimulus package is higher tax credits.

Have you gone over this energy efficiency checklist to see where you could be saving money. When Cap and Trade kicks in, energy prices are going up, up, up.

So now that I'm done, I'm going to go running, and then it's time to kick back and chill. Literally.

Cap and Trade is Coming, Cut Utility Bills Now

For folks still drinking the Obama Kool Aid and think they're really getting a tax cut, it's time to dummy up. It's really a shell game. The bad news is that your taxes are going up; the good news is that I'm going to tell you how to do something about those pesky electricity, gasoline, and natural gas bills.

You see, Cap and Trade is a policy that Washington will push through. And it will increase your utility bills. Ernest Istook of the Heritage Foundation estimates that the average American household wil be ponying up an additional 50%.

Take a Look at Your Energy Consumption

Before you can lower your bills, you need to know where all that energy is going. Check out this energy efficiency checklist and make a diagnosis of your home. You might be surprised. Here are a few easy things:

• Change your incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescents. Buy the good ones, they last longer.
• Set your refrigerator to 38 degrees and your freezer to 0 degrees. Keep your freezer full, even if it's frozen water in milk jugs; it's just more efficient.
• Dress up your water heater with an approved insulating blanket.
• Make sure your attic insulation is up to snuff.
  

How to Save at the Gas Pump

• Fill up early in the morning while the gas is cooler. It is denser in that state so you actually get more volume.
• Don't pump gas right after the tanker truck visits the station. Filling the underground pumps stirs up any settled stuff and you don't want it in your car.
• Use a quality fuel additive. Experience the MPGreen Difference!
  

Follow these tips to start saving today!

Attic Ventilation Lowers Utility Bills

Sure, you've maxed out your attic's recommended insulation R-value. But don't start loafing quite yet; there's still work to be done to take the load off your AC and wallet.

Categories of Attic Vents

Installing an attic vent is a simple DIY project and in most cases you can be done in a couple of hours. There are two categories of vents/fans. The first kind is passive roof venting. This includes turbine or whirlybird fans as well as ridge vents.

The second category is the active vent. These are electrical; either home-wired or solar powered. These are activated and shut off by thermostats and occasionally, humidistats. These are mounted either on the roof top or on the gables.

Installing Attic Vents

Ridge vents run the length of the roof ridge and are best installed during new construction and when doing a re-roofing job. The shingles on the vents will match the roof shingles so the look is very slick.

Turbine and power vent installation can be done at any time. It involves computing the attic CFM requirement, cutting a hole in the roof, and installing the unit. Some wiring is required on electrical powered units.

Are Solar Powered Vents Worthwhile?

Sadly, the answer at this point is no. While we would all love to adhere to green building practices, the pennies just don't add up here. Why? Solar powered units are expensive and direct-wired ones use very little juice compared to what they shave off utility bills.

Of course, if you just install a whirlybird (turbine), there is no external electricity involved. The fins on the globe spin in the wind and draw cooler air through your soffit vents and hotter air out of the attic.

Modern ones have sealed bearing races. They never need lubing and run silent, like a submarine in stealth mode.

Which ever way you decide to go, your options are wide open. Chill out.

Choosing the Proper Home Insulation

Of all the energy-saving, utility bill-cutting approaches that are employed in the modern home, insulation is the best publicized. Why? It's the cheapest method of making your home energy efficient. Attic insulation, wall insulation, floors and crawlspaces, it's all recommended. But which type is the best for the job? The answer, it turns out, is, "It depends".

Which Kind of Insulation is Best?

This depends on:

• Your budget - How much will you spend VS how much you'll save on utility bills.
• What's available locally - This can affect how much you'll pay for material.
• The area to be insulated - Different areas of the home have different needs.
• How much insulation needs to be installed - How much square footage will be covered?
• Method of application - Will you roll it out? Will an insulation contractor spray it?
  

R-Value Considerations

An insulation's R-Value is it's resistance to heat flow (out in the winter, in during the summer). The higher the number, the better. The insulation's data sheet or packaging will give you a number, but there are other factors to consider.

For example, fiberglass batts installed between exterior wall studs will give you a certain R-Value, but heat will still flow through the studs. This is an example of thermal bridging. Little can be done here except using insulating sheathing or using an alternative framing technology such as SIPs (Structural Insulated Panels) or ICFs (Insulated Concrete Forms).

Density also has an effect. For example, fiberglass batts will only give the rated insulating value if they are normally "fluffed out", not compressed into a smaller space than they were designed for.

Types of Insulation

• Blanket insulation - This may be purchased in either batts or rolls. In areas such as attics, rolls are easier to install. Batts work well in walls between studs. The paper tabs are stapled to the studs to keep the batts from settling down over time, victims of the force of gravity.

• Blown-in loose fill insulation - This is usually rock wool, cellulose, or fiberglass. It works well in attics and requires pneumatic equipment. Either an insulation contractor can be hired or you can rent the equipment and DIY.

• Foam insulation - This can either be open-celled or closed-celled. This type is also sprayed on. The open-cell insulation allows for moisture to move through it but has a lower R-Value than closed cell.

• Radiant barrier - This can either be a powder that is mixed with latex paint or a radiant barrier foil product. The radiant barrier paint can be sprayed on the underside of the roof sheathing or rolled/sprayed onto walls. The foil is claimed to work better on the roof sheathing in the attic but some claim that it interferes will cell phone reception.