An overwhelming majority of code officials voted to accept the proposed Public Comment, revising the original proposal that was denied by the IRC Building & Energy Committee in September of 2006.

According to IPA Executive Director Bill Wachtler, the revised Public Comment addressed the issues posed by the IRC Building & Energy Committee and other industry groups at the September Code Development Hearings.

“SIPA has worked closely with SIP manufacturers and other interested industry groups to come up with code language that provides a solid alternative to stick framing using structural insulated panels in residential construction,” Wachtler explains.  “Completing this has been a major milestone for the SIP industry and will lead the way to further code acceptance and industry standards.”

Builders using SIP walls in residential projects will no longer be required to conduct additional engineering to show equivalency to the International Residential Code, facilitating the use of SIPs in residential construction. 

“This will have a significant impact on SIP home construction,” said Tom Williamson, Vice President of Technical and Quality Services at APA The Engineered Wood Association, who conducted the testing that supported the code change proposal.  “Structural insulated panels will now be side by side with other forms of construction in the residential building code and builders will have SIPs as a code-recognized option.”

Support for the Public Comment was provided by testimonies from Dow Chemical, the Polyisocyanurate Molders Association (PIMA), the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) Research Center, and APA – The Engineered Wood Association.  Funding for the testing was granted by the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) program, a division of the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development dedicating to improving housing technology for American families.

About SIPA
The Structural Insulated Panel Association (SIPA) is a non-profit association representing manufacturers, suppliers, dealer/distributors, design professionals, and builders committed to providing quality structural insulated panels for all segments of the construction iindustry.

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