Students at the University of Colorado Boulder College of Architecture and Planning will soon start construction on a demonstration project with BioSIPs, structural insulated panels (SIPs) cores of engineered molded fiber. Professor Julee Herdt began experimenting with the material in the early 90s, and successfully manufactured BioSIPs for her own home. The university’s Solar Decathlon team won the competition in 2005 using BioSIPs, prompting Herdt to found BioSIPs, Inc. to bring the technology to market.
In a recent interview with the University of Colorado newsletter, Inside CU, Herdt said, “We recently completed structural testing at CU’s engineering lab and BioSIPs have met or exceeded all SIP structural requirements. The product that we currently have is almost ready for the marketplace. Our goal for five years from now is fiber-based products that can be completely exposed to the elements.”
Now, with grant funding from the Heimbold Foundation and the State of Colorado, Herdt and her team will construct an 18’x10’ test building in conjunction with Boulder’s ReSource, a local company offering salvaged building materials.
Read more at Green Building Elements
