Offices in: UK, French Alps & SW France
ECOLOGICAL & SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
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SIPS:
A REVOLUTION IN CONSTRUCTION
ECOLOGICAL AFFORDABLE FLEXIBLE FAST
ECSUS Design bring next-generation timber frame chalet construction with SIPs (Structurally Insulated Panels) to France. Our prefabricated system allows total flexibility of design and easy, fast construction - even with difficult terrain and extremes of climate. Save money on construction and on future household bills, and live sustainably in a highly energy efficient home that surpasses all government standards.
Your new home comes with full insurance and warranty for total peace of mind.
SIP panels consist of a high performance rigid insulation core integrally sandwiched between layers of Oriented Strand Board (OSB). They're precision engineered & prefabricated in the factory, shipped to site and joined together using a unique jointing system. The resulting structure is six times stronger than a timber frame construction.
Our panels hold Agrement Technique Europeen (ATE) certification.
FASTER CONSTRUCTION
Prefabricated, lightweight panels (weighing a maximum of 29kg/msq) combining structural frame, which is five times stronger than traditional timber frame, and insulation allow much quicker chalet construction - even on difficult mountain sites. Our record-breaking 5-day chalet build hit the headlines and was described as a 'revolution for building in the Alps'. Watch this time-lapse video and read more in these articles in French Property News and Connexion France newspaper. We build with SIPs to combine kit house speed of construction with flexible design, energy efficiency and more benefits.
LOWER CONSTRUCTION COSTS
Faster construction times mean reduced on-site labour costs. The panels are prefabricated, the 'kit' transported straight to site and easy to assemble, so there are none of the costly delays associated with traditional chalet build methods. Follow-on trades work quickly and easily with the panels, minimising their bills. Plan your project's timescale and budget with confidence and the faster completion, the quicker your return on investment.
ECO FRIENDLY
SIP buildings easily achieve the French government's latest thermal regulations RT2012. The highly energy efficient panels give R-values of up to 7.5 m2 k/w - further improved with additional insulation and plaster board. They easily pass the air leakage test required by RT2012. Using a heat exchanger (or VMC), heat pump and other eco-friendly systems we can create a passive home - even in extreme climates like the Alps. Once airtight the house holds heat so efficiently that even before a heating system is installed our teams happily undertake internal fit-out in winter snow.
Almost no waste is produced on-site as the panels arrive pre-cut, and environmental impact from transport is limited as all the components come from one factory.
SAVE ON HOUSEHOLD BILLS
The in-built insulation in SIP panels, plus use of other eco-friendly systems like ground or air source heat pump and heat exchangers, can help reduce your household bills to virtually zero - even in extreme climates. ECSUS (which stands for ECological & SUStainable) Design are experts in systems that benefit both the environment and your wallet.
CHALLENGING TERRAIN
The lightweight panels are easily manoeuvred by hand on site. Walls are erected by our skilled team who lift each panel into place. Roof panels are placed by manatou or crane. On extremely difficult sites we have even used a helicopter, as you can see in this video.
The panels will not be affected by building in bad weather, and in extreme weather or a break in construction they can be wrapped in a special membrane.
FLEXIBLE DESIGN
SIP engineers precision cut the panels in the factory, prefabricated to your design specifications. The properties of the panels mean the design possibilities are almost limitless. This video shows how we built a large, unique chalet with a very unusual roof configuration. We're even working on a ultra-modern chalet with a curving grass-topped roof. Whatever your idea, we can help bring it to life.
EASY FIT-OUT
The OSB surface of SIP panels make them easy and flexible for follow-on trades to fix to. Wires and pipes are easily fixed in place, voids filled with extra insulation and plasterboard added. Cladding is very simply attached outside. This makes fit-out a smooth, fast and cost-effective process.
