38 | REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Westland: Simpson Residential SIPs bypass supply chain woes Hokitika’s Simpson Residential is using structural insulated panels (SIPs) as a low carbon, high energy efficient alternative to traditional framing products. Supplier of window fashions - drapes, blinds, tracks and all flooring needs - carpet, vinyl, tiles and wood. FREE MEASURE AND QUOTE Hokitika 03 755 8589 Greymouth 03 768 5799 | 0800 787 777 027 886 3568 johanssontileandbrick@gmail.com Bricklaying • Blockwork • Schist • Tiles Residential & Light Commercial - Servicing the West Coast Solar • New Homes • Heatpumps • Rewires Domestic Works • Cow Sheds • Light Industrial 027 248 3511 admin@willpilcherelectrical.com Kelly Deeks Using Formance structural insulated panels (SIPs) now manufactured in Christchurch, Hokitika’s Simpson Residential is offering a low-carbon, high-energy efficiency building solution that also bypasses current supply chain issues. Hayden Simpson of Simpson Residential has been using Formance panels for the past five years, saying he can build a warmer, healthier, and more energy efficient home when using these opposed to traditional framing products. “With these panels we’re creating airtight homes that are so nice and warm they don’t require heating,” he says. “Formance has now got a factory in Christchurch so a Formance panel home now has a lower carbon footprint, and we can get our hands on it a lot quicker than we could get frames and trusses at the moment.” SIPs are high-performing, thermally efficient composite panels used as walls, roofs, and floors that sandwich an insulating layer of foam between two layers of structural board. Connected together to create near-zero air leakage, Formance panel homes are consistently warmer, drier, and healthier. SIPs panel construction can be a lot faster than traditional framing, with pre-insulated and pre-nailed walls and roof sections. As a home can be closed in sooner, work can be completed on the outside and the inside of the home at the same time. While other methods of construction create high volumes of waste and use products that aren’t good for the environment, the Formance system maximises the use of limited resources while being eco-friendly and sustainable. Now seeing an opening in the market for tiny homes and off-grid living, Simpson Residential has launched a new Formance panel pod-style building product, modular and transportable to offer even more benefits to West Coasters. “Each pod is about the size of a container, so you can start with one and add more pods later on to create a larger home. We are building them in our yard then transporting them to site. The West Coast is a large area. Here in Hokitika, we’re four hours away from Haast to the south and another four hours to Karamea in the north, so the travel and accommodation component can be cost-prohibitive to building in some of these locations. Now it’s just a one off cost to move the building once it’s ready to be placed on site.” As Simpson Residential moves more into passive housing, Hayden is encouraging West Coasters to go beyond the status quo. “We want to keep moving forward and we want to be proud of what we are producing,” he says. “We think Formance SIPs panels are good for our area. They suit the West Coast terrain, and they have the strength for both adverse weather conditions and earthquakes.” Hayden says the West Coast is going great guns with population growth as people re-evaluate their lives after Covid lockdowns and decide to move out of the cities and into the Coast where it’s not so populated, house prices are cheaper, and an attractive lifestyle awaits. “We’ve got everything at our fingertips. Even the smaller towns are experiencing a huge amount of growth.” Simpson Residential is busy, and new homes are needed quickly, so these transportable pods are providing a multifaceted solution. “We can quickly provide warm, healthy, and energy efficient housing.” “Formance has now got a factory in Christchurch so a Formance panel home now has a lower carbon footprint, and we can get our hands on it a lot quicker than we could get frames and trusses at the moment.”
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