News Release - 12/01/2005
NUMBER: 2004-11
DATE: December 1, 2004
CONTACT: Bill Wachtler
PHONE: 253-858-7472
E-MAIL: billw@sips.org
As Florida residents struggle to cope with four hurricane strikes in one record-breaking season, SIPA’s leadership is reaching out to help Florida with the challenge of facing future storms. Even as Hurricane Ivan bore down on the Florida panhandle, SIPA board members approved a plan to showcase the storm-worthy power of SIPs at the International Builders’ Show, January 13-16, 2005 in Orlando, Florida — right in the heart of hurricane country.
This year, the demonstration house outside the Orange County Convention Center will be built to withstand Category 5 hurricane winds. Engineering support from the Premier Building Systems’ technical team is already promised, and SIPA member USP Connectors stands ready with a full array of specialty tie-downs, connectors, and fasteners, along with a downloadable PDF handbook with clear instructions for specifying and installing the tough hardware.
Architect Sarah Susanka author of the “Not So Big House” designs the “So Small Showhouse.” SIPA members will demonstrate how to install wall and roof panels during a 30-minute demonstration two times a day. The demonstrations will be given by Michael Morley of Morley Builders, Inc. also author of "Building with Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), Al Cobb of Panelwrights, LLC, and Monte Jefferson of Panelwrights of N. Carolina, Inc. SIPA member companies providing panels for this project are Insulspan, Inc., Premier Building Systems, and SureTight Insulated Panel Corporation.
After each show, attendees will be encouraged to get on shuttles for a ride out to the completely finished "Not So Big" Showhouse – the Susanka designed “parent” showhouse built a short ride away at Lake Nona. A survivor of three hurricanes during its construction, the SIP-constructed "Not So Big" Showhouse presents a multi-media learning experience with audio-hosted tours focused on design, building science and green building. For more information, visit www.notsobigshowhouse.com
To visit the “So Small Showhouse” go to the Outdoor Exhibits in Parking Lot D.
Building Media Inc., a building education company combining professional trade expertise with connected sales, video production and online content distribution, is the overall sponsor for the “So Small Showhouse.”
As for the SIPs themselves, we already know they can handle the job. Far beyond stick-framing in axial and racking load resistance, SIPs are functioning as earthquake and storm-resisting shear walls in thousands of existing homes throughout U.S. seismic and high-wind-speed zones. As reports come in from storm-weary Florida, we’re hearing more stories of SIP survivability -- like the experience of three panel houses in Port Charlotte that stood up to a bulls-eye strike from Charley in August.
Information at the project house and at SIPA Village, inside the convention center, will show attendees from Florida and around the U.S. how building with SIPs can help them create economical, rugged, and comfortable homes that don’t rely so much on electric power and fossil fuels.
If you’d like to help out with the demonstration home or the SIPA Village exhibits, or if you just want more information, call (253) 858-SIPA (7472) or email staff@sips.org.
About SIPA
The Structural Insulated Panel Association (SIPA) is a non-profit association representing manufacturers, suppliers, fabricators/distributors, design professionals, and builders committed to providing quality structural insulated panels for all segments of the construction industry.
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