ENERGY EFFICIENT EXTENSIONS OVERVIEW
Traditional brick and mortar construction requires each individual brick to be laid for both the internal and external course of construction. This takes time and is heavily dependant on the skill of the bricklayer and to a lesser extent the weather.
Pre-building the walls increases the dimensional accuracy of the building, eliminates the labour delays (faster construction), increases the energy efficiency through insulation and elimination of heat/air loss, decreases the heat mass of the home and saves money both during construction and over the lifetime of the home.
FASTER, STRONGER AND MORE ACCURATE CONSTRUCTION
The use of off site built construction components (SIPS) allows for specific accuracy in detail. For example,
the opening sizes for doors and windows are accurate enough to allow for prefabrication of each to specific dimensions BEFORE the structure is built and same day install
the entire structure (inc roof) is delivered to site and can be assembled on the slab in under 1 WEEK
the fit out can commence immediately, regardless of weather
multiple trades can work on site at the same time that usually have to wait for others to complete (critical path)
wet trades are not required - we don't need to wait on a renderer, or a plasterer, or a bricklayer to complete their work.
electrical and plumbing rough ins are already within the components reducing time and damage to structure from chasing walls
The panels are stronger - which means less steel ($$ saving) and a more rigid structure. You can also have larger spans without beams (up to 6m) in a cyclone rated structure
The structure is load bearing and strong enough to build multi level
your extension is perfectly square - no rooms out of square, everything fits as it should
Termite and rot proof with a 50 YEAR WARRANTY
All over structural rigidity - hang anything anywhere (unlike timber frame) you don't need reinforcement for that big screen TV
THERMAL PERFORMANCE AND HEALTHY BUILT ENVIRONMENT
The use of insulated panels reduce your energy costs through elimination of
heat loss - Did you know a standard double cavity brick wall has an R value of just R 0.5? Your SIPS insulated panel has an R value of up to R 4.0 - that's 8 TIMES superior to a double cavity brick wall? And this extends to your roof ABOVE the roof space so that the internal area between your ceiling and the tiles does not get hot!
air and moisture loss - Passivhaus door blower tests show 10 times less air leakage than a conventional timber framed home
thermal bridging - the continuity of insulation means that the structure itself does not form a heat loss source (bridge) where the heat or cold comes in. You need less energy to maintain the perfect temperature..
noise - the acoustic properties of SIPS wall panels REDUCE noise and have a better acoustic performance than standard construction. Create quieter living spaces...
indoor air pollution - by using a simple heat recovery ventilation system, fresh filtered air constantly passes through the air box and receives the heat from the outgoing stale and polluted air. This allows the retention of up to 90% of heat or cool from exhausted air and allows fresh air without the energy penalty of opening a window and letting in hot or cold air.
YOU SAVE TIME, MONEY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
The use of prefabricated insulated structural panels (SIPS) save you money on the real world build costs.
Less labour is required to build the house
Less rubbish and waste means less builders bins and land fill
No need for traditional steel, timber frame or brickwork reinforcement as the panels themselves are structural
A single storey complete home can move from slab to lock up in under 2 WEEKS whilst a double storey can be done in 3 WEEKS
Electrical wiring is simpler and reduces subcontractor time on site
Ongoing reduction of energy loss through heating and cooling loss. You can reduce the size and running costs of air conditioning and heating systems.
Responsibly managed forest timber only is used in manufacture from routinne thinning
Reduce your carbon footprint by using 'top up' heating and cooling to maintain your indoor temperature