Client: Terry Thornsbury AIA
Project Type: Residential and Commerical Buildings
SIP Benefits / Energy Savings: 3400 sq ft home costs $60,000 less with similar R-value using SIPs compared to Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF).
Architect/Designer: Terry Thornsbury AIA
Builder: Viridian Architectural Design Inc.
Terry Thornsbury, AIA, architect and president of Viridian Architectural Design Inc., searches out the best options to cut long-term costs and minimize impact on the planet. He wants the best performance, but he also needs reliable service.
How Many Ways Can You Save?
For one two-story, 3,400-square-foot home, Terry compared SIPs and Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF).”ICF cost $60,000 more for the same R-value, and the Thermocore structural insulated panels required less mass and less material,” Terry said. “That really opened my eyes.”
The structural integrity of Thermocore’s SIPs also saves on construction costs. On the Community Center project in Akron, Indiana, “Thermocore’s insulated panels allowed us to eliminate all the interior columns,” Terry explained. “The loading capacity of the SIPs supported the trusses over a 60-foot open, clear span. Without the columns, we saved money on foundations, footings, and the columns themselves.”
Barreling through Obstacles
”No project is flawless, but when issues come up, it’s good to know that Thermocore stands behind their product and helps us deal with problems,” Terry said. “Pat [Egan, President of Thermocore] is always quick to respond to questions that come up in the field. He and his staff don’t hesitate to talk with me directly, deal with the issues, and keep the project moving forward.”
Unexpected Benefits
When Terry first researched Structural Insulated Panels, he talked to one homeowner who built an addition to his stick-built home using Thermocore SIPs. “They spent all of their time in the SIPs addition because it was so much quieter,” Terry said. “That was a quality they didn’t expect, but it’s key.”
Terry also appreciates that the electrical back boxes and conduit are integrated into Thermocore’s Structural Insulated Panels. “It makes the job so much faster and easier,” he said.
Terry recently talked with a contractor wanting to learn more about SIPs. Terry sent him to the best source he knows: “I gave him Thermocore’s website address and told him to call Pat.”