Passive house design is a concept generating more and more interest as we come to better understand the importance of minimising our impact on the environment.
Just as we can improve our carbon footprint by making small changes to our everyday lives, this can extend to larger endeavours, such as building your new home.
While passive houses are crucial for the future of the construction industry, especially in the context of environmental impact, the benefits extend beyond just being an eco-friendly choice (which, of course, is a worthy reason on its own!)
Did you know that if you choose the path of designing a passive house with Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) then you’ll save money too? Over the lifetime of your building, you’ll see heavily reduced energy consumption meaning your bank account will avoid the ever increasing rise of electricity costs. Paired with other cost saving factors during the construction process (explained more below), SIPs are a clear economical and environmentally-friendly choice.
Smart SIPs’ guide to understanding the link between SIPs and passive house design
Our aim is to answer all of your questions in this guide by covering the important factors in designing a passive house with SIPs. They are:
You can read through the whole article or click to skip ahead to the relevant area that interests you.
Passive house design in Australia
What is Passive House Design?
Passive house design is a building standard that focuses on energy efficiency, comfort, and sustainability. Originating from Germany, it’s all about creating homes that require very little energy for heating or cooling, making them incredibly efficient. This is achieved through careful attention to insulation, airtight construction, and the use of high-quality windows that keep the indoor climate steady, regardless of what's happening outside.
A key component for those interested in passive house design is the use of Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs). SIPs are a type of building material that combines insulation and structural support into one panel, making them an ideal choice for constructing airtight and highly insulated homes. These panels not only simplify the building process but also contribute to the high performance of a passive house by minimising thermal bridging and enhancing energy efficiency.
Incorporating SIPs into your passive house design means you’re choosing a construction method that complements the core principles of energy efficiency and sustainability. With their ability to provide excellent insulation and structural integrity, SIPs make achieving the stringent standards of passive house design more accessible and practical.
The Importance of Material Selection in Passive House Design
When you're considering passive house design, eco-friendly construction material selection is absolutely crucial. The whole concept relies on creating a building that’s incredibly energy-efficient, and the materials you choose play a big role in that. For instance, materials with high insulating properties help keep your home warm in winter and cool in summer without relying heavily on heating or cooling systems. This means you'll need to use less energy, which not only lowers your bills but also reduces your carbon footprint.
Airtightness is another key factor, and the materials you select need to support this. Choosing materials that minimise air leaks, like high-quality windows and doors or well-sealed wall systems, ensures that the indoor environment remains stable and comfortable. This is where materials like Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) come into play—they combine insulation and structural support in a way that naturally complements the passive house principles.
In essence, every material choice contributes to how well your passive house performs. From the insulation in your walls to the type of windows you install, each decision impacts the overall efficiency and sustainability of your home. That’s why it’s essential to pick materials that align with the passive house principles of energy efficiency, durability, and comfort.
Understanding Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)
What Are SIPs?
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) are a type of high-performance building material used in construction, particularly in energy-efficient designs like passive houses. SIPs are composed of an insulating foam core sandwiched between two layers of structural boards.
At Smart SIPs, we give you the option of choosing the panel skin. We can advise on which option is best for your project and budget.
Our panel skin options include:
OSB
MGO
Cement Sheet
Smart SIPs has standardised on the Neopor core material as it brings added benefits to the new home for a similar cost. We use Smart SIPs Graphite filled EPS (GPS) (Neopor by BASF).
We have listed the different core options used in SIPs construction as a guide to why the Neopor outperforms the other materials for performance and safety. You can learn more about the different options on SIPs panel details.
Other options for typical SIPs include:
EPS
XPS
Polyurethane
The panel skin options and foam core give SIPs its structural strength, allowing it to bear loads and support the building’s framework. This combination of insulation and structural integrity in a single panel is what makes SIPs so efficient and effective.
SIPs create a building envelope that is both highly insulated and airtight, which is key to achieving energy efficiency in modern construction. SIPs minimise thermal bridging, reduce air leaks, and provide a quick, efficient method of construction, all while maintaining the structural stability of the building.
The History and Evolution of SIPs
The history of Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) dates back to the 1930s, with early innovations leading to their development by visionaries like Frank Lloyd Wright and Alden B. Dow. Dow’s work in the 1950s laid the foundation for modern SIPs, which combine insulation and structure into a single, efficient panel. Over the decades, SIPs have evolved into a popular choice in construction, offering energy efficiency and sustainability, aligning perfectly with contemporary building standards. You can learn more about the evolution of SIPs on History of SIPs Panels
How SIPs Work
SIPs play a crucial role in enhancing insulation and airtightness, both of which are key to achieving the energy efficiency goals of passive house design. The core of a SIP is made from insulating foam, which significantly reduces heat loss by providing a continuous barrier against temperature changes. The outer layers, typically made from oriented strand board (OSB), further contribute to the panel's structural integrity and airtightness. This combination minimises thermal bridging and air leaks, ensuring that the building maintains a stable indoor environment with minimal energy use.
SIPs and Passive House Design: A Perfect Match
So, why are SIPs and passive house design the perfect match? You’d be hard pressed to find a more efficient option in the Australian market. SIPs are so perfectly equipped to build passive homes in Australia, and here’s why:
Energy Efficiency
SIPs are specifically engineered to deliver outstanding energy efficiency by minimising thermal bridging. Thermal bridging occurs when heat escapes through the less insulated parts of a building, such as a stud in a timber frame. The stud acts as a “bridge” to conduct heat through. The continuous foam core within SIPs ensures maximum insulation, significantly reducing the amount of energy needed for heating and cooling. This makes SIPs an essential element of passive house design, where energy conservation is the priority.
Airtightness
Airtightness is vital in designing passive houses as it prevents energy loss and maintains consistent indoor temperatures. SIPs are naturally airtight due to their solid, continuous structure, which limits air infiltration. This results in less reliance on heating and cooling, further increasing the home’s energy efficiency.
Structural Strength
SIPs are not just about energy efficiency; they also offer impressive structural strength. The combination of a rigid foam core with durable outer layers creates a panel that is both lightweight and robust. This structural integrity supports long-term durability and resilience, making SIPs ideal for passive houses that are designed to last. The structural strength provided by SIPs also allows for truly creative new builds that don’t have the limitation typical with traditional framing methods.
Speed of Construction
One of the standout advantages of using SIPs is the speed of construction. The panels are pre-fabricated and arrive on-site ready to be assembled, reducing construction time significantly. This not only leads to cost savings but also allows for quicker project completion, getting you into your energy-efficient home faster.
Environmental Impact
SIPs contribute to sustainability in multiple ways. Their superior insulation properties lead to ongoing energy savings, reducing the overall carbon footprint of a building. Additionally, SIPs can be manufactured using eco-friendly materials, further enhancing their appeal as a sustainable building choice. This aligns perfectly with the principles of passive house design, where environmental responsibility is key.
Case Study: SIP Passive House Project - a success story
To showcase what’s possible with SIPs, let us share with you a project we worked on that resulted in a beautiful passive home.
We designed this incredible passive home in Killcare, New South Wales. You can view the full case study by clicking here, but here is a summary of how we achieved this spectacular home.
Our design brief was to design a healthy, high-performance passive home. Our client needed 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a detached studio, a double lock-up garage and an above ground swimming pool.
SIPs construction, together with a Heat Recovery Ventilation System (HRV) and timber framed double-glazed windows and doors, achieved a new home with a steady internal temperature throughout the year. The addition of the HRV system created a healthy indoor environment through the constant source of fresh, filtered outdoor air.
This passive home in New South Wales exceeded standard building practices with its completed waterproof and airtight building envelope. The design brief was met by achieving a home that is healthy and high-performing, prioritising energy-efficiency and mould prevention.
Learn more about this home and our other high-performance homes on our projects page.
Overcoming Common Concerns About SIPs in Passive House Design
As experts in SIPs and the construction industry, we’ve heard it all. Three of the most common myths that are so easily debunked are:
Myth 1: SIPs Are Too Expensive
When you compare the initial cost of materials alone, yes, SIPs are a more expensive option than more traditional methods like timber framing. The cost is typically 5% more.
But when you consider all elements of SIPs, you’ll soon realise that they are much more economical and therefore affordable. They include:
Streamlined construction: SIPs are quick to install, involve two steps in one (framing and insulation) and generate little to no onsite waste. Therefore you’ll see a reduction in labour and waste costs. Another potential benefit is how quickly your build will come together. Many find themselves in the position of paying rent/a mortgage on another home while they build their new home. A quicker construction process will reduce how long you’ll have to pay for your other living arrangements. Or, if you’re building to sell, you’ll be able to put your new building on the market sooner, also reducing your costs.
Long-term reduced energy costs: the unparalleled insulation and airtightness of SIPs will continually see your home rely less on heating and cooling.
Government incentives and grants: depending on your location and build, you may be eligible for a government incentive or grant to build your passive home.
Myth 2: SIPs Are Not Durable
SIPs are incredibly strong and durable, and perform well in severe weather conditions and natural disasters. The strength and structural characteristics are comparable to a steel l-beam. The robust Neopor core of our SIPs acts as a web to the structural facing’s l-beam flange-like qualities.
The strength of SIPs allow them to better handle in-plane compressive loads.
SIPs are also approved for up to 289 km/ph winds, so can work well in high-wind and cyclones prone areas.
If you’re looking to build in a high-wind zone, or an area prone to cyclones, SIPs are approved for up to 289 km per hour winds.
All of these benefits of SIPs make them perfect for the harsh Australian environment. SIPs are great at keeping moisture out and offer a manageable fire risk as long as their construction and installation meets the building code’s fire precautions. You can learn more about how we design buildings for bush fire zones by reading about our design approach for a 8.3 star off-grid studio in a moderately high risk bushfire zone.
Depending on whether your build is residential or commercial, it will require different fires rating and potentially sprinkler systems. Please chat to us about any of your fire risk requirements and we will include them in our design.
Myth 3: SIPs Limit Design Flexibility
Do SIPs limit design flexibility? Quite the contrary. In fact, choosing SIPs opens whole new realms of possibilities when it comes to designing your passive home. SIPs are strong and customisable, allowing you to circumvent the usual limitations of traditional framing methods.
Get creative and build the home you want, not the home you had to settle for because of ugly support beams or hearing the term “it's not possible”.
Why SIPs Are the Future of Passive House Design
SIPs are an excellent option for passive housing and we consider them to be the future of the construction industry. Their inherent eco-friendly properties, paired with their long-term affordability make them an accessible option for the everyday Australian looking to build their dream home, and for registered builders looking to streamline their construction while minimising their carbon footprint.
After considering all of the benefits of SIPs, it's hard to look past why anyone wanting to design and build a passive home in Australia should consider them.
Get in touch for an obligation-free chat
We understand that taking the leap in trusting a business with the design of your new home is intimidating. That’s why we welcome you to have an obligation-free chat with us where we can also provide you with a ballpark quote for your project.
We don’t use any shady selling strategies, just a frank discussion about your goals and how we can help you achieve them. We’ve been in your exact position before we entered the SIPs industry and know how important it is to be heard and feel at ease with people working with you.
You can learn more about us and why we, Smart SIPs, are the right people to help you in designing your passive home.
Call us on +61 416 368 678 or explore our website for more information.