Portland Community College Newberg Center to use Premier SIPs as Part of Net-Zero Energy Ready Design

Fife, Wash., February 3, 2011 – This fall, Portland Community College is scheduled to open a new, energy-efficient educational facility in Newberg, Oregon, built with structural insulated panels (SIPs) from Premier Building Systems. The SIPs will contribute to a tight, well-insulated building envelope - a factor that the project architects report is critical for the building's net-zero energy design. www.pbssips.com/bc

In addition to 7.25-inch core SIP walls and 11.25-inch core SIP roof, the building plans call for 7,000-square feet of rooftop solar panels for electricity, radiant concrete floors for heating and cooling, and systems to take advantage of natural ventilation and daylight. All of these are designed to work together to enable the building to generate as much energy onsite as it uses throughout the year.

"The first and maybe most critical step in getting a building to net-zero energy use is to reduce its energy consumption," says Doug Reimer, AIA, Senior Project Architect with Hennebery Eddy Architects. "The SIPs are intended to super insulate and reduce air leaks to stabilize the interior environment. Then, fewer photovoltaic panels are required to generate energy to achieve net-zero."

Premier SIPs are made of two outer skins of oriented strand board (OSB) and an inner core of expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam laminated together for exceptional strength and unbroken, high-performance insulation. SIPs take the place of conventional stick framing and other building methods. Building professionals use them to reduce energy consumption in homes, apartments, schools, healthcare facilities, lodging facilities, offices and other commercial and institutional buildings. SIPs can be incorporated into virtually any architectural style.

The 12,000-square foot Newberg Center will include several classrooms, a conference room, reception area and administrative space. It will serve community college students in suburban Portland, Oregon.

Project Summary

Project: Portland Community College Newberg Center, Newberg, Oregon
Size: 12,000 sq. ft.
Scheduled completion: Autumn 2011
Architect: Hennebery Eddy Architects, Portland, Oregon
Contractors: R&H Construction and Colas Construction, Portland, Oregon
SIP Manufacturer: Premier Building Systems, Fife, Washington

About Premier Building Systems

Premier Building Systems leads the construction industry in the research, development and manufacturing of high-performance, energy-efficient structural insulated panels (SIPs) and related materials. As North America's largest SIP manufacturer, the company is a leader in working with design professionals, contractors and code officials on innovative SIP applications. For more information about Premier's products and services, call (800) 275-7086 or visit www.pbssips.com/bc.