Resource Sustainability
Timberline is an environmentally conscious company that encourages sustainable building practices.Structural insulated panels offer many green-built features in several of the key areas of sustainable building practices including…
- reduction of waste
- conservation of natural resources
- constructing a healthy indoor living environment
Environmentally Friendly
The foam insulation used in EPS panel cores is made using a non-CFC blowing agent that does not threaten the earth’s ozone layer. Additionally, the EPS foam insulation used in Timberline SIPs does not contain CFC's, HCFC's or formaldehyde and does not produce harmful off-gassing.
The value-engineering and CAD-based design process that precedes the manufacturing of every Timberline panel virtually eliminates enclosure-related job site waste creating less impact on our valuable community landfill sites.
Efficient Use of Petroleum
The expanded polystyrene insulation used in Timberline Panel SIP products is made of petroleum-derived styrene; however, this light-weight foam product is 98% air and requires only a small amount of petroleum to produce. The use of petroleum to make EPS insulation represents one of the best uses of this natural resource by drastically reducing the long-term need to consume fossil fuels for heating and cooling energy. Over the life of a building, SIPs save hundreds of times the energy embodied during their production and transportation cycle.
Jobsite Waste Reduction
The generation of on-site scrap that must be land-filled is an important environmental penalty of home construction, and one that is minimized by the use of SIPs.
A Healthy Indoor Environment
SIP panels are inert and stable, and do not off-gas chemicals. Being air-tight, SIP homes allow fresh air to be provided in controlled amounts, and filtered to remove allergens. And because SIP homes are uniformly insulated without voids, cold spots or thermal bypasses, the SIP envelope does not foster condensation that would allow irritating mold growth in damp spots, as an improperly insulated stick home can. Warm, dry, and comfortable, a SIP home is conducive to healthy living, and partners well with green finishes such as VOC-free paints, carpets, and furnishings.
Coupled with the use of an air-to-air exchange system, the thermal tightness of a timber frame enclosed with Timberline panels prevents allergens and dust from penetrating the building envelope with the pleasant result being a healthier living environment.
Energy Efficiency
The energy that powers homes and commercial buildings is responsible for a large portion of greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere. By reducing the amount of energy used in buildings, architects, builders, and homeowners can contribute to a clean environment for the future.
Structural insulated panels are one of the most environmentally responsible building systems available. A timber frame structure enclosed with a SIP envelope provides high levels of insulation and is extremely air-tight, meaning the amount of energy used to heat and cool a home can be cut by up to 50 percent.
