Passive House Insulation for Peak Energy Efficiency: SIPs

Peckham Architecture’s LEED Platinum home headquarters is Missouri’s first Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) Certified building. Our eco house is also net-positive energy, which means it produces more electricity than it consumes! We could not have achieved this level of energy efficiency without super insulation.

In addition to insulating the concrete slab foundation, we used structural insulated panels, or SIPs. Here are a few of our structural insulated panels on the job site:

It’s not enough just to use green building materials—we also source them locally as often as possible. The structural insulated panels for this green building came from Thermocore of Missouri, located just 40 miles from Columbia in Taos, Missouri.

Thermocore’s SIPs contain injected polyurethane foam insulation with a Class A Fire Rating. In addition to providing superior and fireproof insulation, injected polyurethane is incredibly dense, strong and moisture resistant. A closed cell gasket seals the gaps between the SIPs so no heat or air escapes.

This airtight method of insulation maximizes energy efficiency and makes the most of our green energy array, which includes solar panels, LED lights, ERV (energy recovery ventilation), a tankless water heater and Energy Star appliances.

Learn more and watch our SIPs come together in Episode 4 of our Green Building Series:

Planning a remodel or custom home? Peckham Architecture incorporates deep green building techniques into every project to suit your budget. A 1-hour consultation includes project meeting notes, cost estimate and fee proposal for $250.

Contact us today to see what’s possible: 573.777.4444

NEXT: Insulating with liquid house wrap and recycled blown in cellulose

Green Building Insulation: Liquid House Wrap and Blown In Cellulose

PREVIOUSLY: How we minimized the environmental impact of our concrete slab foundation:

How to Reduce Carbon Footprint & Maximize Energy Efficiency with a Concrete Slab Foundation