Structural Insulating Sheathing

Combines insulative and water-resistant barrier benefits with structural properties to offer an affordable method of bridging the thermal short-circuiting of a building’s frame. 

Exterior walls must provide multiple functions including  weather and air resistance, , and structure. Most commonly,  these functions are met with a combination of materials that are typically  individually installed.Structural insulating sheathing provides a  multi-function exterior wall sheathing product that is applied in a single  layer and provides additional continuous insulation, a weather- and air  infiltration-resistant barrier, and structural wall bracing. The product is a  marriage of two proven sheathing materials—foam sheathing (polyisocyanurate)  and structural laminated  fibrous board with a thermal resistance of R-3 for ½-inch thickness.

Structural insulating sheathing provides a structural method  of design for braced wall panel construction, and many additional benefits.  Using a single product simplifies wall construction and allows labor savings.  It can be installed using common construction tools and skills, and time is  saved since it eliminates the installation of a separate layer of building wrap  or felt paper for the weather-resistant barrier (WRB). Further, it reduces  handling and improves worker safety by replacing two installations with one of  a lighter panel weight.

Beginning  in 2006, the International Residential Code (IRC) will require a WRB over OSB  for code compliance when using most of the conventional exterior cladding  systems.

A special thanks to my good friend Paul Hasenmeier  from First Due Tackle for sending me these pictures of an that was going up in his area to motive me to compile all the information I already had on Structural Insulating Sheathing and take it from my Green Building Construction Class and put it into a written post where all could read and share. Here is the link to the photos: https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/media/set/?set=a.5256514608...

Additional Information about Structural Insulating Sheathing:

http://www.toolbase.org/Technology-Inventory/walls/structural-insul...

STYROFOAM SIS™ (U.S. Residential Only) Link:

http://building.dow.com/na/en/products/insulation/sis.htm

Other types of Insulating Sheathing:

http://www2.buildinggreen.com/category/builder-categories/sheathing...

The only way to know this kind of energy efficient  construction is being built in your area is to get off the couch and go walk through these buildings as they are being built!

Stay Safe and share with all your brothers and sisters!

Lt. John Shafer