Though the Structural Concrete Insulation Panel (SCIP) system is a 30 year old technology, it is only now gaining in reputation and popularity. Since 2005, Johnson Leifield Structural Engineers has been at the forefront of this construction technique.
The SCIP system consists of a polystyrene insulation core panel surrounded by welded wire mesh reinforcement. The face reinforcement is commonly tied together by wire ladder reinforcement laced through and around the insulation cores between the faces. Individual panels are tied together to create walls, roofs, and floors. Sometimes supplemental billet reinforcement is required to be added to one or both faces or at panel intersections to support the expected design loads. Attachments to the foundation are accomplished by reinforcement dowels between the footings and the panels. After installation of all reinforcing steel, structural plaster is applied to each face either by hand trowel or pneumatically.
In essence, the finished product is a poured-in-place concrete structure resistant to fire, moisture leaks, insect attack, wind forces, floods, tsunamis, and seismic excitations. Because it is composed of concrete, the SCIP structure is also very energy efficient. Due to the handling ease of the light-weight panel installation, a typical one-story house can be framed in less than a week (not including electrical and plumbing work). The plaster application also takes just a few days duration so that the completed structure might be finished in just weeks. Additionally, this technology is very forgiving when installed by unskilled laborers.
SCIP panel construction has the following advantages over conventional systems:
Manufacturers of this technology include Impac International (Therml-Impac™ Panel), Insteel Panelmex (Tridipanel), and Emmedue S.P.A. (Emmedue Panel). Each manufacturer has their own panel makeup, so thicknesses of core panels, sizes of wire reinforcement, plaster thicknesses, and total panel thicknesses are not standardized. As a result, vertically and horizontally installed panels will have differing capacities in accordance with the choice of manufacturers and the composition of the components.
The SCIP system consists of a polystyrene insulation core panel surrounded by welded wire mesh reinforcement. The face reinforcement is commonly tied together by wire ladder reinforcement laced through and around the insulation cores between the faces. Individual panels are tied together to create walls, roofs, and floors. Sometimes supplemental billet reinforcement is required to be added to one or both faces or at panel intersections to support the expected design loads. Attachments to the foundation are accomplished by reinforcement dowels between the footings and the panels. After installation of all reinforcing steel, structural plaster is applied to each face either by hand trowel or pneumatically.
In essence, the finished product is a poured-in-place concrete structure resistant to fire, moisture leaks, insect attack, wind forces, floods, tsunamis, and seismic excitations. Because it is composed of concrete, the SCIP structure is also very energy efficient. Due to the handling ease of the light-weight panel installation, a typical one-story house can be framed in less than a week (not including electrical and plumbing work). The plaster application also takes just a few days duration so that the completed structure might be finished in just weeks. Additionally, this technology is very forgiving when installed by unskilled laborers.
SCIP panel construction has the following advantages over conventional systems:
- 30% cost savings over typical concrete block masonry construction
- 20% cost savings over conventional timber/ drywall construction
- 30% faster to build than most other conventional construction systems
- Equivalent to poured-in-place concrete in earthquake, tsunami, and hurricane resistance
- Provides up to R40 thermal insulation for savings in heating and cooling
- No food value nor nesting opportunities for termites, pests, and rodents
- Naturally fireproof construction
- Naturally bullet resistant construction
- Naturally sustainable construction
Manufacturers of this technology include Impac International (Therml-Impac™ Panel), Insteel Panelmex (Tridipanel), and Emmedue S.P.A. (Emmedue Panel). Each manufacturer has their own panel makeup, so thicknesses of core panels, sizes of wire reinforcement, plaster thicknesses, and total panel thicknesses are not standardized. As a result, vertically and horizontally installed panels will have differing capacities in accordance with the choice of manufacturers and the composition of the components.