Fast Installation
A second key to maintaining
affordability of the Sarann Knight Apartments was to complete the construction
quickly. While loan-carrying costs are critical to the financial feasibility of
any project, for a nonprofit owner/developer it is especially important to
begin leasing units as soon as possible.
The builders were able to
dry-in the 82-unit complex’s four floors in only 80 days, substantially faster
than typically required for a comparable stick-built apartment. In that time,
they installed approximately 100,000 square feet of SIP walls.
“Compared to stick framing,
SIP walls go up much faster since they can be installed in large sections and
eliminate the need for separate on-site framing and insulation work,” Bullock says.
“The finished walls are also beautifully straight, which saves time on drywall
installation, painting and other finishing work.”
Other ways SIPs help speed
construction is that they come to the jobsite with pre-cut window and door
openings, which saves on framing time, and depending on the dimensions, may not
require installation of separate headers. They also have pre-cut electrical
chases that eliminate the labor needed to drill through studs for wiring.
Fast Installation
A second key to maintaining
affordability of the Sarann Knight Apartments was to complete the construction
quickly. While loan-carrying costs are critical to the financial feasibility of
any project, for a nonprofit owner/developer it is especially important to
begin leasing units as soon as possible.
The builders were able to
dry-in the 82-unit complex’s four floors in only 80 days, substantially faster
than typically required for a comparable stick-built apartment. In that time,
they installed approximately 100,000 square feet of SIP walls.
“Compared to stick framing,
SIP walls go up much faster since they can be installed in large sections and
eliminate the need for separate on-site framing and insulation work,” Bullock says.
“The finished walls are also beautifully straight, which saves time on drywall
installation, painting and other finishing work.”
Other ways SIPs help speed
construction is that they come to the jobsite with pre-cut window and door
openings, which saves on framing time, and depending on the dimensions, may not
require installation of separate headers. They also have pre-cut electrical
chases that eliminate the labor needed to drill through studs for wiring.
Long-Term Durability
CDPCN developed the Sarann
Knight Apartments as a tax credit project. As such, Nevada state law requires them to maintain
the units’ affordability for 50 years. “We need to build our projects correctly
from the start,” Bullock says. “We can’t afford to do major overhauls every
decade, so we must have buildings that hold up for the long-term.”
Because SIPs are comprised
of full oriented strand board (OSB) panels, they provide a solid surface across
each wall’s entire face, unlike drywall over studs. SIPs stand up well to the
bumps and damage that can occur when families with small children regularly
come and go in multifamily housing. “SIPs are strong,” Bullock says. “You can’t
damage them as easily as conventional framing.”
The Sarann Knight Apartments
are one of several housing developments CDPCN has built with structural
insulated panels. “SIPs are a win-win all around given the reduced construction
time and costs as well as high energy efficiency,” Bullock says. “Plus, we’ve
witnessed an excessive amount of waste going out the door with stick-framed
jobs. That’s something that just doesn’t happen with SIPs.”
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