The obvious benefits of of traditional structural insulated panels include faster build time (3-4 time faster than traditional wood and metal framing), off-site fabrication and potential cost reduction.  But, by using agrifiber-based SIPs, these benefits are augmented by contributing towards the following LEED NC 2.2 credits:

EA 1 - Optimize Energy Performance:  Agrifiber SIPs generally have a very high R-value and produce a building envelope that up to 5-7 times tighter than traditional wood construction.

MR 5.1 & 5.2 - 10% / 20% Harvested within 500 miles: Obviously this requires proper purchasing but, given the typical amount of structural material relative to overall material, the volume goes a long way.

MR 6.0 - 2.5% Rapidly Renewable Materials: It’s possible to satisfy your entire MR 6.0 requirement with one building component.

EQ 4.4 - Low-Emitting Materials: Most agrifiber SIPs exceed ASTM standards and some use a soy-based adhesive resin.

Additionally, there’s a potential for two Innovation & Design points:

ID 1.1  - Minimize Construction Waste: SIPs are manufactured off-site to exact specifications, including most openings, which can result in vitually no waste.

ID 1.2 - Regionally Harvested Materials: Exceeding 20% of the total materials.

If you’ve had any experiences with agrifiber SIPs, please comment.  We would love to hear from you.

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