Why Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) are vital to the future of UK construction?

Check out Part 2 & 3

The future of UK construction: Part 2 – What are SIPs?

The future of UK construction: Part 3 – Super-ECO building benefits

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Part 1 – introduction

The urgent need for alternative building materials

The UK construction industry is in a state of transition. The urgent need for new housing stock, particularly affordable homes, is well documented, and successive governments have failed to live up to targets pledged. The need for more commercial and industrial building is also well-publicised.

Yet the construction industry has been failing to meet these needs, due to a combination of factors. A chronic shortage of skilled labour, the unpredictability of British weather, and arguably the biggest factor – an unwillingness to change.

Now, however, the changes are beginning, and architects, developers and contractors are all considering how to adopt Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report ‘Off-site manufacture for construction: Building for change’ recommends a presumption in favour of MMC when granting planning permission for new developments.

Widespread use of SIPs throughout the world

MMC requires not only new methodologies, but also different materials. Whilst Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) are not new (they were first developed in the 1960’s), growth in their use in construction in the UK follows widespread usage and predicted growth throughout the world (https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/structural-insulated-panels-market, and is to be welcomed for a variety of reasons.

This is the first in a series totalling eight blogs, which will demonstrate how SIPs save time and money, increase construction efficiency, allow greater flexibility in design, improve build quality and, possibly most importantly, provide the basis for one of the most eco-efficient structures in the world.

Contact us now if you can’t wait for the blog series and want to discuss SIPs more immediately.