Brand story · 2024
SIP panels: the secret of a warm home in the Estonian winter
English translation of the original Estonian article. Original headline: SIP-paneelid: sooja kodumaja saladus Eesti talves
Have you ever wondered why some homes feel like a warm hug even in the harshest winter, while others leave a chilly impression? The answer may lie in quality building materials. One such material, which has proven successful for decades all over the world, including North America and Europe, is the SIP panel.
The use of SIP panels in house building began with the wish of Sipnordic's owner, himself the head of a construction company, to build a warm and good house for his own family. Looking for the best solutions, the calculations showed that building a house with SIP panels was considerably better and more affordable than with other common building materials.
What is a SIP panel?
A SIP, or Structural Insulated Panel, is a so-called sandwich-type building panel consisting of two OSB boards with high-density EPS Silver insulation between them. It is precisely this combination that gives these building panels a number of advantages:
Heat retention: SIP panels are excellent thermal insulators that help keep a building warm in winter and cool in summer.
Airtightness: thanks to their dense structure, SIP panels have no air leaks, which means less energy spent on heating and cooling.
Strength: SIP panels are very strong and durable, which is why they also serve as load-bearing structures.
Fast construction: these panels are light and easy to install, which considerably shortens construction time.
According to a common misconception, buildings made of SIP panels "don't breathe" and the intermediate layers go mouldy. This is not true if correctly chosen materials that are compatible with each other are used and installed.
Why choose SIP panels?
SIP panels can be used to build energy-efficient buildings for different purposes, designed for year-round use in the Nordic climate.
SIP panels are the way to faster, more economical and more environmentally friendly construction, while ensuring better-than-usual insulation and a strong structure.
Compared with other traditional building materials, these building panels stand out for their energy efficiency, strength and fast assembly.
Comparison of SIP panels with other common types of wall construction in the Estonian climate
- Bauroc Ecotherm+ 500 mm, U=0.15, finished wall thickness 520 mm
- Fibo3 + EPS Silver insulation 200 mm, U=0.13, finished wall thickness 420 mm
- Timber frame construction, insulation 250 mm, U=0.16, finished wall thickness 330 mm
- SIP Strong element, insulation 270 mm, U=0.12, finished wall thickness 350 mm
Calculated for finished exterior wall constructions. The lower the U-value, the better the wall, roof, window etc. retains heat. Source: Sipnordic
From Sipnordic you can order prefabricated element and modular houses in different variations and degrees of completion.
It is also possible to buy standard-size panels or parts and elements cut to size according to the project. In that case the customer does the installation. For increasingly popular DIY projects, this is the ideal option.
Every customer is special to Sipnordic; we offer an individual approach to every project and help find the best solutions from design and building permit to occupancy permit.
An energy class A house at an energy class B price. How?
Building a house in energy class A is known to be quite costly. Everyone wants a home that stays warm in a harsh climate and, above all, has low running costs – which usually means more expensive materials and building solutions. Using SIP panels, however, improves a building's insulation so much that the finished house's energy consumption meets energy class A.
What does a warm home built with SIP panels mean for you?
A warm home is much more than just a warm room. It is a place where you feel safe and good and where you spend time with your loved ones. A house built with SIP panels helps create exactly such a home. Your heart warms too when you see your electricity bills and know you have made a good choice: the house keeps the heat well and heating costs are lower than expected.
A construction company head's personal decision. "As experienced builders, we consciously chose to build prefabricated houses with SIP panels and to introduce them to the wider Estonian market. We saw how quickly and sustainably a high-quality, heat-retaining house can be built using SIP panels as the material," said the company's owner Madis Metsmaaker, who also chose these panels when building his own home.
Want a ready-made solution? RevalEst Ehitus OÜ – your reliable partner.
More and more construction companies in Estonia use SIP panels. One of them is RevalEst Ehitus OÜ, which has the experience and knowledge of building with SIP panels with the local climate in mind. The company offers customers various packages, from design to a turnkey solution.
An example of a house built with SIP panels by RevalEst Ehitus. Heated area 170 m²:
Air-to-water heating
Ventilation with heat recovery
No alternative additional heat sources such as a fireplace, wind or solar energy.
Annual electricity consumption 10,000 kWh.
Our experienced team is always ready to advise you on different solutions, so that the result is what you really want.
Why trust RevalEst Ehitus?
Experience: the company has worked in construction since 2006 and has built houses with SIP panels for several years.
Knowledge: it knows its field down to the last detail.
Individual approach: the company offers a tailored solution for every customer and helps find the best solutions.
Want to visit a show house?
If you are very interested in building a house and using SIP panels, you can also take a closer look at finished solutions. Feel free to get in touch, and let's go and see it together!
If you want to build an energy-efficient, durable and comfortable home, the SIP panel is an excellent choice.