About
For more than 30 years, Insulspan® Structural Insulated Panel has led the industry in the development and manufacturing of SIPs. Advanced building methodologies, such as Insulspan SIPs, are making commercial and residential buildings more comfortable, safer, healthier, and more durable. In addition, building with Insulspan SIPs reduces the impact on our environment. Our energy-efficient building system is proven to significantly reduce energy and material consumption while simultaneously improving the quality of life for the building’s occupants. Builders using Insulspan SIPs receive innumerable benefits including faster build times, savings on skilled labor, and the ability to build year-round. Architects, and the buildings they design, benefit from the incorporation of Insulspan SIPs. Structural insulated panels address a variety of modern building architectural needs, including: improved energy efficiency, enhanced structural integrity, sustainability, and design flexibility. Homeowners reap many benefits when they build with Insulspan SIPs as well. A home with a SIP thermal envelope can perform 50% to 70% better than the Model Energy Code. In addition to saving money on heating and cooling costs, homeowners enjoy a healthy living environment, unprecedented comfort, and a higher resale value through higher appraisals and demand. Insulspan is the most trusted and recognized brand in the industry, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of PFB Corporation. PFB Corporation, a Calgary, Alberta-based public company, operates businesses throughout Canada and the United States. PFB Corporation is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Environmental mission and strategy (ESG)
Energy-efficient building can be a smart investment to lower ownership costs, improve energy performance, increase overall satisfaction as an environmentally responsible citizen, and limit your carbon footprint.
ENERGY EFFICIENT PROGRAMS TO KNOW:
Energy Star®
In the U.S., energy-efficient structures built with Insulspan wall and roof panels can qualify for the Energy Star® rating. This is a government-backed certification for energy efficiency that provides credible and unbiased information to consumers and businesses.
Energy Star homes are at least 10% more energy efficient than homes built to code and achieve a 20% improvement on average. Energy Star homes also provide homeowners with better quality, performance, and comfort. The results for commercial buildings that have earned Energy Star certification are even more impressive. Energy Star certified commercial buildings use, on average, 35% less energy than buildings without a certification. Additionally, recent studies found that Energy Star certified buildings command a premium of up to 16% in sales prices and rental rates.
RESNET® HERS® Index
The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index is a nationally recognized system for inspecting and calculating a home’s energy performance. Since heating, cooling, and water heating constitute the largest cost of home ownership outside of the mortgage loan, knowing its HERS Index Score is a good idea. This is especially true if you are considering purchasing a home. The HERS Index Score is also valuable information to have for your existing home. The score establishes operating efficiencies and determines where modifications can be made. Proper modifications achieve greater energy savings and resale value.
The lower the HERS number, the more energy efficient the home has proven to be. Variables included in this energy rating include:
- All exterior walls (both above and below grade)
- Floors over unconditioned spaces (like garages or cellars)
- Ceilings and roofs
- Attics, foundations, and crawlspaces
- Windows and doors, vents, and ductwork
- HVAC system, water heating system, and thermostats
- Air leakage of the home
- Leakage in the heating and cooling distribution system
EnerGuide
EnerGuide is the Government of Canada’s official energy performance rating and labeling program for key consumer items, including houses. This certification helps consumers identify options that may save energy, lower utility bills, or reduce impact on the environment. EnerGuide works in concert with Canada’s Energy Efficiency Regulations and the Energy Star® Canada program to promote energy efficiency in the Canadian marketplace.
LEED®
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) is a green building certification program that recognizes best in class building strategies and practices across the globe for virtually all types of building—commercial and residential—and in over 165 countries and territories.
LEED® promotes better buildings that complement our environment and enhance our communities. Certified buildings save energy, water, resources, generate less waste, and support human health. This certification helps give people better places to live, work, and play.
Each construction project pursues credits that earn points. Prerequisites and credits differ for each rating system, and you choose what best fits your project. Upon completion of the review process, the project receives a certification level—Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum.
For almost 30 years, the Insulspan SIP System has been used to build Platinum LEED® quality homes. The energy-efficient attributes of SIPs are also recognized under ICC 700-2008, the National Green Building Standard developed in partnership by the National Association of Home Builders Association (NAHB) and the International Code Council (ICC). In Canada, the most recognized energy efficiency rating programs for new homes are EnerGuide and R-200. In addition, BuiltGreen programs available in a number of Canadian provinces recognize SIPs as an improved energy efficient building product over stick framed construction.
Other energy efficiency rating programs may also be available in your area and rebates for energy efficient construction may be offered.