Renewable Energy
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Zero Energy Buildings
Structures To Go, a Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) manufacturer in Port Angeles, WA, provides building kits and completed buildings.  Visit www.structurestogo.com.  The company has manufactured and delivered dozens of these strong, energy efficient buildings.  Read about their debut in the Fall 2005 Olympic RE News.


This "pop up" building can be erected in less than 30 minutes, deployable with a roll-deck truck to anywhere anytime.  A compartment below the roof stores emergency supplies, lifting poles, trim pieces, and other hardware used in placing this building in a temporary field application for emergency management.  [see left]







 
This 8 x 12 SIP building housed KONP Radio 1450 during the 2008 Lavender Festival in Sequim, WA.  This useful building is For Sale. [see right]

 



The Port Townsend office of Olympic Energy Systems has occupied this SIP building for over a year.  The annual electrical energy usage of this 8 x 12 building can be met with a 1200 Watt grid-tied solar electric system, including heat!  The energy efficiency of the 4 inch SIP walls, roof, and floor allows for heating with less than 8 KWh per day in the middle of winter. The life cycle cost of this building, including building construction cost and electricity from solar, is about $50 per month, over the expected 25 year service life of the solar electric system.  You can not find rent that cheap.  The building should remain another 25 years or more.  [see below]

        

 Some further thumbnail pictures of other STG buildings:

     
Storage Shed                Office                           Guest House                 Garage Shop

     
Woodworking Shop        Art Studio                     Multi-Purpose               Boat Storage

There are many other uses for these SIP buildings - Hot Tub House, Motorcycle Storage Shed, Pump House, Kiosk, Exhibitor Booth, or Garden Shed - most of which can benefit from the energy efficiency aspects, especially if the owner were to condition the space with heating.

This 8 x 8 is built with 2 inch SIP wall panels fabricated with mahogany plywood,  ON SALE at $2,195.

Zero Energy Buildings

Olympic Energy Systems has an interest in these buildings, as they allow for the cost-effective development of Zero Energy Buildings.  We are putting three basic principles to work:

  • Optimized Space (minimal square footage)
  • Energy Efficient Materials (i.e., use of SIPs)
  • Solar Energy Systems (appropriately sized)

A typical specification for these SIP buildings includes:

BUILDING SIZE (8 x 12, 16 x 16, 16 x 24, etc.),
SIP PANEL WIDTH (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12 inch nominal),
ROOF TYPE (Three Tab, Metal, Other),
DOORS & WINDOWS (Quantity, Size, and Location)

Frequently Asked Questions...

Q: Are building permits required?
A: Structure size, use intent, and your county or city codes are determining factors.  Plumbing and electrical DO require permits.  Buildings permits may be exempted due to size and intended use.

Q: Are SIP materials and buildings green?
A: They are environmentally friendly to produce, very energy efficient when in service, and can be recycled.  This material is also free of formaldehyde off-gassing.

Q: What is the R-Value (insulation value)?
A: 6 inch nominal floor and roof panels are R-23 and 4 inch nominal wall panels are R-16, both avoiding the thermal block present in standard framing.

Q: Do the structures require a foundation?
A: Most of the building kits come with a floor structure that attaches to pressure treated skids.  The skids can be attached to pier pads and leveled with post brackets.  If a concrete floor is desired, the insulated floor will be omitted from the kit and walls can be attached to the concrete floor.

Q: What site preparation is needed?
A: A level surface on to which to locate the building.  With the use of pier blocks, an inclined surface can be used.

Q: Can the placement of windows and doors be changed?
A: Window, Door, and Wall panels are all interchangeable to any position around the building and more can be added at additional cost.

See more FAQs at www.structurestogo.com

Assembled SIP Buildings (that save $$$) are ON SALE now:

8 x 12 Storage Shed (2 in stock)
8 x 12 Garden Shed (2 in stock)
8 x 12 Pop Up [Emergency Management or Operations] (1 in stock)
8 x 12 Motorcycle Storage Shed - ramp, high bay ceiling (1 in stock)
8 x 12 Hybrid - SIP roof panels and stud walls; insulatable (4 in stock)

Structures To Go.com, Inc.

The company is a licensed manufacturing firm in the State of Washington.  There is a long history of entrepreneural spirit, as its founder is a former General Contractor with years of building experience with SIP panels.  New ideas and new applications of old ideas have meant positive innnovation for the company and a benefit to the general public.

The company offers buildings in three basic categories:

  • Zero Energy (Potential) Active Use SIP
    • Permitted Residential & Commercial (with engineering approvals)
    • Non-Permitted (exempted intended use)
  • Emergency Management
    • Deployable Emergency Operating Centers (EOC)
    • Emergency Housing
  • Storage
    • Standard SIP (walls, roof, and floor) - The Stuff Shed
    • Hybrid (SIP roof and dimensional lumber frame walls and floor)

These buildings have exemplary attributes, making them cost-effective and ecologically-sound:

     Energy Efficient
          Non-Toxic
               Locally-Made
                    Strong
                         Portable
                              Versatile

Call (360) 460-3162 or (360) 457-9326, or stop by the shop at 2255 Edgewood Drive Port Angeles


Our Office in Port Angeles.  Call and we can meet to talk about solar energy, SIP buildings, and more.

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