Hey all-- Quick question from a newbie. I was looking into SIPs for a home I'm going to build, and a friend suggested I look into fiberglass boards or panels as an alternative. I don't know a whole lot about these things, so I was hoping someone on here might tell me if fiberglass panels (I don't know if that's what they're called, but I'm envisioning sort of like a 4'x8'x3/4" pieces of plywood) are a viable alternative and how cost effective they are as well as their R-value( insulation rating). The home would be in South Florida, in case that makes a difference.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I look forward to hearing from you guys soon!

JW

JW; there are many alternatives to the more common OSB, they are fiberglass, nyloboard, aluminum, steel and fibercement

Being you are in Florida you will want to make certain that whomever you choose has a Florida Product Approval Listing

When you say you are in South Florida, if you are in Dade or Broward Counties (Miami Area), then not only will you need a Florida Product approval, you will need panels that have passed Impact Testing for high velocity wind zones, which is to do with how flying debris acts during hurricanes. Very strict codes down there. This will serverely limit your panel choices because very few companies have this testing. However, a way around this is to prove to the building department that what you clad the panels with meets the impact testing.

Our glass fiberboards are similar to SIPs with a PU core, but the outside is layered with fiberglass. This tends to make them tougher and lighter than SIPs. The panels are connected with PU glue, no latches or screws are involved.

If anyone knows of another types of fiberglass boards, or is manufacturing or marketing these, I'd appreciate hearing back from them.

I got a few queries on my post. I should have perhaps been more specific.

1. I'm not in the US market, and don't intend to.

2. I came across a company called Innovida that's making a product similar to what we intend to be doing. Durasip seems to be doing something similar too but I'm not sure

3. I can't comment on prices, but the fiberglass panels are roughly $2.50 per sq. ft. but pricing is based on manufacturing in Europe, which can be pricey (especially with a weak $). An important advantage of fiberglass panels is that finishes (laminate, stone, veneer, etc.) can be bonded directly to the panel at the factory, which is a real time and cost saver.

4. There's a lot of flexibility in design in these panels. We are also working on a design that uses 3 mm tubes embedded in the panels -- floors, walls, ceiling -- for passive heating/cooling. These are supposedly very efficient and effective and do not create cold/hot spots. Also, embedding the tubes in panels means they're maintenance free and will not leak.

5. Designing built-ins and furniture with these panels is a snap

We haven't begun sales. marketing, production just yet. Some of the details are still being worked out, so I can't comment on this just yet. We're looking to partner with manufacturers of traditional SIPs in the future, so if there's any interest in this, we can discuss it.

I would still hope that if anyone else is working with this material, they could share insights. Thanks.

Sounds interesting emunch, post a website when you have one. Good luck!