Sustainable SIP

SIP has been around for decades and is renowned as a reliable, high performance, easy to install, sustainable, building solution. But what does 'Sustainable' really mean? We have broken down the different elements of this tried and tested SIP system, taking into consideration materials used, manufacturing process, installation and final building performance.

SIPit OSB and PU Structural Insulated Panels

The sustainability of the materials used:-

The SIP is made with two external facing boards and an internal insulation core, that are bonded together to create a strong insulated structural panel. At SIPit the standard external facing board is OSB and the internal insulant is an injected Polyurethane core.

OSB

OSB production uses fast-growing, small-diameter trees like aspen and poplar, reducing pressure on old-growth forests. It maximises wood utilisation, using up to 90–95% of harvested logs, including lower-quality wood. This supports responsible forest management and waste minimisation. OSB is a renewable and recyclable material, sourced from certified sustainable forests, and can be recycled or repurposed, contributing to a circular economy. Wood products like OSB store carbon, delaying CO₂ release, and have lower embodied energy and emissions than steel or concrete. OSB panels are durable, and Life Cycle Assessment studies show they have a favourable environmental profile, especially in energy-efficient buildings.

PU     

Polyurethane insulation delivers major sustainability benefits through its outstanding energy efficiency, durability, and long service life. Over its lifecycle, PU insulation typically offsets its embodied carbon many times over, making it a key material for achieving net-zero and low-energy building targets.

As an insulation material, PU offers exceptionally low thermal conductivity (λ ≈ 0.022–0.028 W/m·K), making it one of the most energy-efficient insulation types available. This level of performance means that less insulation is required to achieve better u-values and significantly saves time, cost and carbon on each project.

PU insulation contributes significantly to reducing building energy demand by minimising heat loss and gain. Over its service life, PU insulation saves far more energy than is required to produce it — typically up to 100 times its embodied energy. These energy savings lead to substantial reductions in operational carbon emissions, which is the largest contributor to a building’s total carbon footprint. With SIP panels the PU maintains consistent thermal performance over decades, enhancing long-term sustainability.

The sustainability of the SIP manufacturing process

The sustainability of PU SIP manufacturing is rooted in efficient, low-waste, and energy-conscious methods. The process is precise and efficient, aligning with sustainable construction goals. Sustainable production emphasises energy efficiency, reduced emissions, resource optimisation, and recyclability throughout the product's life cycle. SIPit PU SIPs are prefabricated in controlled factory settings, ensuring accurate material use and minimal offcuts, reducing waste by up to 90% compared to on-site construction.

The processes put in place to manufacture the panels have been developed over years to create a lean production line. Having refined the manufacturing process SIPit has reduced factory wastage to almost zero.

To further reduce the embodied carbon, the SIPit factory is powered by wind energy. This reduces the carbon footprint and further supports sustainability targets by cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

The sustainability of the SIP installation process

SIPs are manufactured to precise dimensions in controlled environments, so panels are made to size, minimising offcuts and material waste. This makes SIP installation a simple, fast and efficient process, that reduces construction time by 30–50%. This leads to less energy use, fewer transport emissions, and lower on-site disturbance. Its simplicity also means less complex construction details and subsequently reduces the margin for error during installation, which makes the system less onerous for the principle designer and also means less wasted materials onsite.

With the superior performance of the Polyurethane insulation, the SIP panels can be thinner making the panels easier to handle onsite and reducing reliance on machinery. Reduced need for heavy equipment limits fuel consumption and site pollution. SIPs are lightweight yet strong, allowing more panels per vehicle, reducing transportation emissions. Panels are delivered flat-packed or pre-assembled, optimising logistics and minimising packaging waste.

Prefabrication shortens construction time, conserving energy and resources, supporting sustainable practices, and lowering the environmental footprint. This precise installation also minimises damage and waste, which extends the panel's lifespan.

With a simple installation system there is less of a wall build up, therefore, smaller timber elements are required, and inevitably less materials are needed, less transport coming from different sources, and the whole build naturally becomes faster to install. The increased speed of installation means that there is reduced time onsite resulting in savings in time, cost and carbon.

Efficient & Sustainable buildings

The most important result of a SIP build is the sustainability of the building and the long term energy usage.

SIPit panels create buildings that achieve a u-value of 0.09 W/m2K with a 245 SIP panel for wall, floor and roof if required. Detailed correctly the SIPit house kits airtightness test results can be lower than 0.6m3/h/m2. Partnered with the PU performance this results in a low energy consumption building. By integrating the correct complementary heating and ventilation systems the SIP kit will get a SAP EPC rating of A. These are passiv haus standard buildings, that help the construction industry move to net zero.

The simplicity of SIP makes it stand out in the world of MMC, and makes passiv haus standard ... standard. SIP is a tried and tested systems that makes sustainable buildings that last the test of time, and reduce running costs for the end user, making sustainable living, and reduced carbon consumption a natural way of life.

From cradle to grave the SIP system boasts efficiency. The materials, manufacture, installation and end use making it a truly sustainable building solution for domestic and commercial projects.

Website: www.sipit.uk Email: info@sipit.uk Tel: 01224 531947