SIPs were used for maximum energy efficiency and the SIP design met all the structural needs of the hybrid timber frame structure, yielding high performance and reduced energy costs. This impressive private residence with home office, workshop, exercise room, and extensive entertaining area is located on historic Back Creek in the Eastern panhandle of West Virginia.

The final HERS score of 48 and blower door test results of 1.0 ACH50 allowed the homeowners to enjoy a tax credit on the home while achieving the homeowners' ultimate goal of being energy independent. The homeowners were familiar with SIP construction and wanted to work with an experienced SIP contractor. They contacted PanelWrights for their experience building low energy and off-grid structures. PanelWrights chose SIP panels manufactured by SIPA member Insulspan using wall panels of 6.5" EPS and roof panels of 12.5" EPS.

Other energy saving factors built into the home include a frost protected shallow foundation (FPSF) vastly improving performance as the entire slab (exposed as finished floor) was insulated from ground contact. The perimeter of the slab was insulated with Nailbase Panels using cementitious skin as part of the FPSF. Passive solar design was employed by PanelWrights to maximize solar gain with southern exposure and solar shading.

Commercial, Industrial, Institutional over 10,000 sq. ft. Category First Place Winner: Trav's Outfitter

Enercept, Charlie Ewalt
 

Features: 

  • SIP wall thickness 6" walls
  • with an EPS insulating core
  • SIP roof thickness 10" roof
  • with and EPS insulating core

Trav's Outfitter SIP Store Watertown SD

Commercial, Industrial, Institutional over 10,000 sq. ft. Category Runner Up: The Nest Villas

lnnova Eco Building System, Jerry Gillman
The Nest Villas - Mamora Bay, Saint Pauls, Antigua, British Virgin Islands
 

Features:

  • SIP wall thickness 4" Interior Wall
  • Panels: 8mm MgO skins, 3 5/8"
  • EPS Foam
  • 6" High Impact Exterior Walls: 12mm MgO skins, 5 5/8" EPS Foam
  • SIP roof thickness 8" OSB/MgO
  • roof panels: 14mm MgO skins, 7 5/8" EPS Foam

SIP Bungalows Antigua BVI

Commercial, Industrial, Institutional over 10,000 sq. ft. Category Honorable Mention: Prairie Winds United Methodist Church

Enercept, Inc., Charlie Ewalt
 

Features:

  • SIP wall thickness 6" walls with EPS solid core insulation
  • SIP roof thickness 10" roof with EPS solid core insulation

Prairie Winds SIP Church Dickinson ND

Commercial, Industrial, Institutional under 10,000 sq. ft. Category Winner: NCC Seeds Farm

Northfield Construction Chris Smisek and Energy Panel Structures
 

Features:

  • SIP wall thickness: 6" EPS Foam
  • BC Plywood interiors
  • SIP roof thickness: 10" Neopor
  • Foam BC Plywood interiors

SIP Farm Office Cold Storage Northfield MN

Commercial, Industrial, Institutional under 10,000 sq. ft. Category Runner Up: Invictus Brewing / Tipsy Steer

Panelworks Plus, Curtis L. Stendel
Invictus Brewing / Tipsy Steer - Blaine, MN.

Features:

  • SIP wall thickness: 8 1/4” and 10 1/4” SIPs with Expanded
  • Polystyrene Insulation
  • SIP roof thickness: 10 1/4”
  • SIPs with Expanded
  • Polystyrene Insulation

Invictus SIP Brewery Blaine MN

Multifamily Category First Place Winner: Pax Futura Passive Apartments

Premier Building Systems, Becky Susan
Pax Futura: Passive Apartments - Seattle, WA.

Features:

  • SIP wall thickness: 6" GPS Core Walls

Passive SIP Apartments Seattle WA

Renovations Category First Place Winner: Mount Hope Winery

Enercept, Charlie Ewalt
Mount Hope Winery - Manheim, PA.

Features:

  • SIP wall thickness: 6" EPS walls over existing barn
  • 8" EPS walls for the addition
  • SIP roof thickness: 10" EPS roof

SIP Winery Renovation Manheim PA

Renovations Category Runner Up: Conrad Kitchen Addition

James Andrews Custom Homes, Matt Mitchell
Conrad Kitchen Addition - Lucas, TX.

Features:

  • SIP wall thickness: 6 1/2" EPS
  • SIP roof thickness: 8 1/4" EPS

SIP Kitchen Addition Lucas TX

Renovations Category Honorable Mention: Exterior Renovation & Energy Efficiency Upgrade

lnnova Eco Building System, Jerry Gillman
Exterior Renovation & Energy Efficiency Upgrade - Davie, FL
 

Features:

  • SIP wall thickness 1/2" MgO skin, 2" Neopor EPS core

Energy Efficiency SIP Renovation Davie FL

Single Family Homes over 3,000 sq. ft. Category High Performance and Residential Overall Winner: Ford Residence

Panelwrights, Al Cobb
Ford Residence - Hedgesville, WV.
 

Features:

  • SIP wall thickness: 6.5" EPS
  • SIP roof thickness: 12.5" EPS
  • HERS Index: 48
  • Blower door: 1.0 ACH50

SIP Country House Hedgesville WV

Single Family Homes over 3,000 sq. ft. Category Winner: Inglis Residence

Extreme Panel Technologies, Josh Fragodt
Inglis Residence - Nevis, MN.
 

Features:

  • SIP wall thickness: 6 1/2"
  • SIP roof thickness: 12 1/4"

Inglis SIP House Nevis MN

Single Family Homes over 3,000 sq. ft. Category Runner Up: Freiburger Residence

PorterSIPs, Jerry Brunink
Freiburger Residence - Wolcottville, IN.

Features:

  • SIP wall thickness: 6 1/2" EPS core
  • SIP roof thickness: 10 1/4" EPS core

Freiburger SIP House Wolcottville IN

Single Family Homes Under 3,000 sq. ft. Winner: Breckenridge Sisters Cabin

Extreme Panel Technologies, Perry Penske
Breckenridge Sisters Cabin - Breckenridge, CO.

Features:

  • SIP wall thickness: 6 1/2" walls with EPS foam
  • SIP roof thickness: 12 1/4" roof with Neopor foam

Off-Grid SIP Cabin Breckenridge CO

Single Family Homes Under 3,000 sq. ft. Runner Up: Creekside Home

Taiga Design+Build, Anton Moody and Energy Panel Structures
Creekside - Grand Marais, MN.

Features:

  • SIP wall thickness: 6" Neopor
  • SIP roof thickness: 10" Neopor

Creekside SIP House Grand Marais MN

Single Family Homes Under 3,000 sq. ft. High Performance Winner: 3 Sisters Project Ft. Worth

Ferrier Builders, Heather Laminack
3 Sisters Project - Fort Worth, TX.

Features:

  • SIP wall thickness: 4" wall panels
  • 6.5" wall panels at stair wall.
  • EPS core
  • SIP roof thickness: 6" roof panels
  • EPS core
  • HERS Index: 9
  • Blower door test: 1.9 ACH50

3 Sisters High Performance SIP House Fort Worth TX

Single Family Homes Under 3,000 sq. ft. High Performance Runner Up: Beacon Hill Residence

Premier Building Systems, Becky Susan
Beacon Hill Residence - Seattle, WA

Features:

  • SIP wall thickness: 6" GPS Core
  • SIP roof thickness: 10" GPS Core
  • HERS Index: 7
  • Blower door test: 0.36 ACH50 (1st test), 0.41 ACH50 (2nd test)
  • Energy use intensity in kBtu / Estimated energy use annually: 6.2 MMBtu

High Performance SIP House Seattle WA

Affordable Housing Winner: Thunder Valley House

Enercept, Charlie Ewalt

Thunder Valley House (Regenerative Community) - Porcupine, SD.

Features:

  • SIP wall thickness 6" walls with EPS solid insulating core.
  • SIP roof thickness 12" roof with EPS solid insulating core.

Affordable Community SIP Housing Porcupine SD

Affordable Housing Runner Up: Dania Beach Home

lnnova Eco Building System, Jerry Gillman

Dania Beach Single Family House - Dania Beach, FL

Features:

  • SIP wall thickness 4" Interior Wall Panels: 8mm MgO skins, 3 5/8" EPS Foam
  • 6" High Impact Exterior Walls: 12mm MgO skins, 5 5/8" EPS Foam
  • SIP roof thickness 8" Plywood/ MgO Roof Panels: 14mm MgO skins, 7 5/8" EPS Foam

Affordable SIP Beach House Dania Beach FL

Overall Honorable Mention Residential: Wright Residence

SIPsmart Building Systems, Inc., Michael Morley

Wright Residence - Baldwin City, KS

Features:

  • SIP wall thickness and core material: 6 1/2" EPS
  • SIP roof thickness and core material: 10 1/4" EPS
  • Blower door test results (ACH50) : 217 CFM at 50 Pa equates to 1.59
  • HERS Index: -17
  • Energy use intensity in kBtu /ft2: kBtu / yr 11.1

High Performance SIP House Baldwin City KS

Overall Winner Commercial: Palo Alto Apartments

Premier Building Systems, Becky Susan

Palo Alto Apartment Project - Palo Alto, CA

Features:

  • SIP wall thickness and core material: 24,168 sf of 6" SIP Walls
  • Environmental/energy modeling was critical given the building's design with massive floor to ceiling windows in many units.
  • Incorporation of a subterranean garage freed up space to design a low profile building mass to mitigate loss of natural light on adjacent neighbors’ properties.
  • CA Green Building Code Tier 2 Compliance (45% better than CA Title 24)
  • All LED high efficiency lighting
  • Natural day lighting lighting design
  • Smart Things Controller; Occupant controlled lighting in all common areas and inside units
  • All electric appliances, no gas service (reduce fire risk)
  • Induction cooking
  • Heat pump water heaters & clothes dryers

Luxury SIP Apartments Palo Alto CA