Example project: 1,700 sqft bungalow with large, attached garage.
In 2021, we conducted a side-by-side comparison on a bungalow style home for a customer to determine the initial cost differences between using wood walls or ICE Panels for his home build.
The 7.5” ICE panel package for the main floor, exterior walls and exterior garage walls would cost around $49,000.
A wood frame building envelope would be around 33% less providing nearly $16,000 savings in build cost. However, wood walls (2×6 wall with studs at every 16”) have reduced insulation value with an Effective R-16 (+/-) while ICE Panel walls deliver an Effective R-value of 29 on this specific home. The long-term operating costs increase due to the sacrifice for a small initial savings of $16,000.
7.5” ICE panels provide 81% more effective insulation value than wood framed walls for this specific home. Additionally, the Energuide rating on this home, built with ICE Panels, is 75 GJ/year whereas a typical new home is around 136 GJ/year. This means that this home uses 45-55% less energy than a typical new build.
Disclaimer: values noted are based upon time of posting and are specific to the project compared at that time.
Published October 6, 2022