Prefabricated House with Structural Insulated Panels

Prefabricated houses with structural insulated panels (SIPS) are modular and industrialized residences constructed using SIPS as the core material, offering advantages such as high energy efficiency and rapid construction. The following provides an in-depth explanation from three perspectives: material characteristics, application forms, and typical enterprise case studies.

I. Core Material: Technical Characteristics of Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS)
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS) are composite panels consisting of two layers of structural sheathing (such as oriented strand board, OSB) sandwiching a high-density insulation core (such as expanded polystyrene, EPS, or polyurethane, PU). Their key advantage lies in the integration of load-bearing and insulation functions: the outer structural sheathing provides mechanical support, while the central insulation layer achieves efficient thermal insulation (with a thermal conductivity as low as 0.022-0.032 W/(m·K)). The overall heat transfer coefficient (U-value) can be controlled between 0.15-0.30 W/(m²·K), significantly outperforming traditional brick-and-mortar structures. Additionally, SIPS panels are prefabricated in factories with completed processes such as panel cutting and window/door opening reservations, requiring only on-site assembly and reducing construction time by approximately 60%.

II. Application Forms: Modular Implementation of Prefabricated Houses
Prefabricated houses based on SIPS typically adopt a "sandwich" structural system:

1. Wall System: Prefabricated insulated wall panels are a typical example, with structural layers (such as concrete or light steel framing) bearing loads, intermediate insulation materials like rock wool (with a thermal conductivity ≤ 0.040 W/(m·K)) or expanded polystyrene boards, and outer integrated decorative cladding (such as metal panels or fiber cement boards), achieving "structure-insulation-decoration" integration. These panels are fully processed in factories and directly hoisted on-site without secondary decoration, improving construction efficiency by over 50%.
2. Roof System: SIPS roof panels share the same construction principle as walls, seamlessly connecting to walls via mortise-and-tenon joints or metal connectors to form a continuous insulation layer, eliminating thermal bridges.
3. Overall Performance: Modular design enables the house to achieve an airtightness of n50 ≤ 1.5/h (air changes per hour), which, combined with mechanical ventilation and heat recovery systems, reduces energy consumption by 70%-90% compared to traditional buildings, meeting passive house standards.

III. Typical Enterprise: Technical Practices of Dalian Kosent
Dalian Kosent New Building Materials Co., Ltd. is a leading enterprise in SIPS technology in China, with a product range covering:

• Base Materials: Provides SIPS panels with thicknesses ranging from 60-300mm and core densities of 18-35kg/m³, meeting insulation requirements for different climate zones;
• Prefabricated Housing Systems: Develops standardized modular housing products, implementing digital management throughout the design-production-construction process using BIM technology, reducing on-site installation time for a single house to 7-15 days;
• Derivative Applications: Extends SIPS technology to mobile assembled housing, combining the robustness of cement prefabricated houses to offer detachable and reusable temporary building solutions.

This technical approach has been certified under the ISO 9001 quality management system and is widely applied in harsh climates such as Northern Europe and North America. Domestic case studies include the Inner Mongolia Zero-Carbon Demonstration Community and Qinghai Photovoltaic Power Station Supporting Housing, validating its adaptability to extreme climates.