Barriers to Increasing the Market Share of Wood-Framed Closed Panels
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Date
1996-05
Authors
Brown, G. Z.
Larocque, Paul
Peffer, Therese
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Center for Housing Innovation, University of Oregon
Abstract
The University of Oregon completed diagnostic testing of six units of housing
which used open and closed panels. Open panels are built with wood studs and
shipped to the site with sheathing, and sometimes windows and siding installed,
but without insulation, vapor barriers, drywall, or wiring. Closed panels by
contrast usually arrive at the site with insulation, vapor barriers, and electrical
chases installed. The testing indicated that the units constructed of wood-framed
closed panels performed better thermally than open framed panels. Despite the
increased energy efficiency and value added, panel manufacturers are reluctant
to produce wood-framed closed panels due to many perceived barriers. This report identifies those barriers as
well as strategies to overcome those barriers. Strategies to reduce barriers include educating builders and the public to
the benefits of wood-framed closed panels, educating builders to new construction
techniques, revising of the code approval process at the federal, state, and local
levels, and establishing manufacturing consortiums to share costs of code
approval and marketing.
Description
68 pages