Residential and commercial buildings are responsible for 40% of the energy consumed in the United States, with the exterior walls of older buildings allowing considerable waste through air leakage and ineffective insulation. In order significantly reduce building energy consumption and meet national climate goals, innovative, cost-effective, re-cladding technologies must be deployed. PRODUCT HP Panel presents a viable alternative to the petrochemical-intensive retrofit wall panels currently available. Its wood fiber substrate has inherently high insulating value. The panel and substructure are OSHA-friendly and easy to install. Fabricated off-site, panels are controlled for quality and produce little material waste. In the field, panels are fit into a clip system, such that a small multi-family can be re-sided within a week. Unlike most over-cladding products, HP Panel is attractive and customizable. Thermal performance targets R-10 or better. The installed cost target is $20 per square foot. HP Tech is seeking funding to support refinement of proof-of-concept including streamlining the digitization of existing building measurement, computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and easy field installation. Automated manufacture is central to the project approach, as is determination cost competitiveness with conventional building siding. Numerous industry standard tests and certifications will be required to bring the cladding system to market. The technical objectives of Phase I include 1) confirmation of the structural, thermal, and moisture behavior of the composite insulated panels; 2) confirmation of acceptable performance of the substructure and clip system, including transitions and panel-to-panel connections; and 3) confirmation of manufacturability. COMMERCIAL APPLICATION AND OTHER BENEFITS If carried over to Phase II and III the HP Panel has the potential to address the large and growing market of exterior cladding, projected to value $99 Billion by 2023. An opaque envelope upgrade can improve energy performance by 50%, substantially reducing air leakage and heat transfer through walls. As most residential building owners refurbish the envelope for aesthetics rather than performance, an attractive option benefits the built environment. Durability has the public benefit of reducing material and demolition waste in landfills. The ease of application benefits tenets. Fabricated off-site, the panels are easily installed such that an envelope retrofit can be completed within a work week.
