Building Wall Panels

Panelized Wall Systems

• Panelized wall systems are an alternative building method that replace frame construction with prefabricated wall units, which can be assembled in a factory setting. Fundamentally, the wall panels are building components with structural and insulating capacity contained within. Panel assembly takes less time than conventional frame construction and requires less labor, which makes for a more airtight, thermally effective building. Construction is more costly initially than framing, but energy savings in heating and cooling offset the cost increase.

Panel Construction

• The wall panels are built using a variety of materials, including light gauge steel, aluminum concrete and fiberglass. Insulation is included in the panel construction, creating a structural, energy efficient building envelope. The panels can be designed to meet different needs in accordance with the type of building and conditions, and can be made to be lightweight constructions with resistance to earthquakes, high winds, debris impact, insects and moisture. The prefabricated nature of wall systems limits flexibility during construction, making on-site changes difficult. Costs increase for customized details.

Types of Wall Systems

• Wall panel systems can be fabricated with light gauge steel framing elements enclosing a foam core referred to as expanded polystyrene, or EPS. These panels are lightweight, strong, flexible and non-combustible, and especially resistant to insect infestation. Due to these benefits, the panels are widely used in Florida and Hawaii where termites are a concern. A concrete wall panel system also uses an EPS core, with the wall panels mounted directly on footings and a concrete floor poured after assembly.

Structural Insulated Panels

• The most common wall panels are Structural Insulated Panels, or SIPs. SIPs are composed of a foam core, sandwiched between Oriented Strand Board, plywood skins or fiber cement. When the foam is bonded to the plywood, it adds structural strength similar to an I-beam that resists buckling. With the insulation, SIPs form a dense, continuous, and airtight barrier, with a higher R-value than a framed wall of similar size.