Etopia

Etopia are suppliers and installers of a sustainable building system that enables contractors, developers and registered providers, to deliver Net Zero ready homes that are energy-efficient and sustainable. Our aim is to facilitate the construction industry to achieve and exceed the Future Homes Standards from 2025.

The system comprises a designed and installed structural wall panel, which is constructed from a Hyper-SIP that provides the structural shell of a building. Also included are the intermediate floors, internal walls, internal battening to create a service void and roof trusses

VALUE OF THE ETOPIA SYSTEM

• Structural panel that has a loading strength of up to 80 tonnes.
• Ease and speed of delivery and installation. A typical house is capable of being erected in 5 days.
• Factory-made panels reduce waste.
• Our walls are thinner, typically 275.5mm (total through wall thickness from internal to external finish). This is an increase of GIFA by 8%.
• Existing designs can be easily and rapidly converted to our system.
• Any material can be used on the façade of a home constructed with the system.
• High energy efficiency due to airtightness and U-value, and as such, lower fuel bills.
• Panels have a precise surface making it easier for follow-on trades to achieve a high-quality finish.
• Renewable and smart technology is easily integrated.
• The system eliminates wet trades, leading to tidier sites, minimal waste, and reduced H&S risks.
• No reliance on membranes or tapes which can fail over time.
• No movement/flexing in the structure.

Etopia UK Ltd. E.I. SIP Structural Insulated Panel Building System

System Description

The system comprises nominally 185mm thick panels made up from two skins of 11mm OSB3 sheathing bonded to a 163mm thick blown polyurethane core insulation. The wall panels are available in increments up to 1200mm wide and to a maximum height of up to 2400mm. Panels are supplied in factory cut shapes and sizes in accordance with the design of the building being constructed. End gable panels are made up of several panel profiles. Panels are joined together using 12mm plywood structural splines, both horizontally and vertically, and fixed using 51 x 2.8mm galvanised ringshank nails at specified centres.

At ground level, a 38 x 185mm C16 grade Class 2 (UC2) treated softwood sole plate on top of a 225mm wide DPC and fixed to the sub-structure below by fixings specified by the engineer.

The intermediate floor skirt comprises a 139 x 315/450mm glulam timber beam manufactured to BS EN 1480. This skirt has a 12mm structural plywood skirt to BS EN 314-2 and EN 636-2, with 11mm OSB3 to the internal and external face. This element may also be used vertically by replacing the 6mm packer with a steel flitch plate to form sway frames if required for structural stability.

At roof level, a binder plate is formed of 2no. 38 x 136 C16 timbers fixed to 2no. plywood splines. This is fixed using 51 x 2.8mm galvanised ringshank nails at specified centres determined by the structural engineer for each project.

Where required, holding down devices to prevent sliding/overturning will be provided to secure the panels to the sub-structure. Each project is subject to individual structural verification.

Durability Assessment – 60 Years

Limits on scope

• Maximum four storeys for residential, commercial and residential use (may go higher subject to structural verification and fire protection requirements);
• Panels in contact with the foundations/sub-structure must be fully isolated from contact with moisture from the ground and external sources, and be a minimum 150mm above finished ground level;
• Minimum 50mm ventilated and drained cavity behind conventional masonry cladding;
• Minimum 25mm drained and ventilated cavity behind external wall claddings, or as required by the system designer [open jointed and rainscreen systems utilising pressure equalisation may require a wider cavity to be effective];
• Some latent defects insurers may require a minimum 15mm drained cavity behind insulated render and insulated brick slip systems in all exposure areas. This is intended to minimise the risk of water penetration damaging the structural frame, particularly at openings in the walls;
• Thermal checks must be undertaken on each project to ensure that there is no risk of interstitial condensation and/or cold bridging which may impact the durability of the panels;
• Where freestanding balconies are connected to the panels for restraint purposes, all connections must be designed by a structural engineer and must not affect the durability of the panels;
• Etopia UK Ltd. must be contracted for the design, manufacture, supply of the structure; erection will be contracted to approved and accredited installers;
• A qualified structural engineer suitably experienced in the design of this type of structure must be engaged for the structural design and analysis.