Abstract:
This paper summarizes a detailed cost study performed to evaluate the first cost of the building system innovations in a stressed skin insulation core (SSIC) panel demonstration house built in Springfield, Oregon. The objective was to compare this building envelope system to a conventionally built, architecturally equivalent Reference House designed with the same energy performance that the Demonstration House provides. The demonstration House proved to have a lower first cost and to be more profitable to the builder than the Reference House.. The primary cost benefit of the Demonstration House is the reduced amount of on-site labor required through the use of SSIC panels. In addition to providing high insulation values and a very tight building envelope, using these panels reduced the use of framing lumber by almost 50%.