WEST-ECO SIPs

08/29/2026

Western Canada does not make it easy on buildings.

Coastal rain and wind. Cold prairie winters. Interior temperature swings that test every component of the building envelope. And for larger homes with open-concept layouts, vaulted ceilings, and expansive wall and roof areas, the stakes are even higher. More surface area means more opportunity for energy loss, drafts, and inconsistent comfort from room to room.

SIPs address all of it through a continuous, airtight envelope that performs consistently regardless of what the weather is doing outside.

For builders, that means pre-engineered panels that go up faster and require fewer on-site adjustments, even in challenging conditions. For homeowners, it means a home that is genuinely comfortable in every room, every season, with lower energy costs over the long term.

Western Canada's climate demands more from its buildings. SIPs are built to meet that demand. →

Learn how SIPs improve energy efficiency in extreme weather with superior insulation, airtight construction, and year-round comfort in any climate.

08/28/2026

A Burnaby family had a clear goal: build a home their children and grandchildren could inherit. JDL Homes Vancouver designed and built it to BC Energy Step Code 5, the highest performance tier in the province, using West-Eco SIPs for the envelope.

The final blower door result: 0.48 air changes per hour at 50 pascals. That is an exceptional result and a direct reflection of how the envelope was designed and detailed.

Here is the system that got them there:
✓ SIP walls and roof
✓ ICF foundation
✓ Triple-pane windows throughout
✓ Mini-split heat pump for primary heating and cooling
✓ Hybrid heat pump hot water tank
✓ HRV for ventilation and airtightness control
✓ No gas required anywhere in the home

Beautiful and built to last generations → https://hubs.ly/Q04vG9yf0

08/27/2026

Net-zero does not happen by accident. It starts with the right team, the right system, and alignment from day one.

Proud to be part of this project.

NET-ZERO - Working closely with WestEco Panelized Building Systems, this net-zero home demonstrates how collaboration, precision prefabrication, and shared expertise can deliver high-performance, sustainable homes. 🌿🏡

West-Eco SIPs
Black Thumb Contracting
MiskimminStructuralEngineering
Carbon Wise

08/26/2026

Step 3 of the BC Energy Step Code and above requires verified airtightness testing, a blower door test, and the number you get has to actually meet the target.

SIP assemblies consistently achieve low ACH50 results because the airtight seal is built into how the panels go together, not added afterward with extra air barrier layers and field detailing. That makes Step 3, 4, and 5 targets far more predictable to hit than with conventional framing.

Want to see why a SIP envelope stays this tight? https://hubs.ly/Q04vb18f0

08/25/2026

This Douglas Fir timber frame project is a great example of what is possible when structure, design, and building science come together.

The envelope was built with 12-inch EPS SIP walls and 12-inch Graphite Polystyrene (GPS) roof panels for maximum R-value. GPS insulation delivers 20% more thermal performance than standard EPS in the same panel thickness, achieved by infusing graphite directly into the foam core.

To take it further, WEST-ECO SIPS developed special connection details specifically for this project to ensure a completely airtight envelope with zero thermal bridging and no penetrations through the SIP panels. That kind of detailing is what separates a truly high-performance home from one that simply meets code.

The timber frame brings the character. The SIP envelope brings the performance.

→ https://hubs.ly/Q04v97c20

08/25/2026

Congratulations JDL Homes Vancouver, proud to be a partner! Here's to 20 more years of creating the most high performing and energy efficient homes for our communities! 🎉

Celebrating 20 years of crafting beautiful, high performance homes! Thank you to all our subtrades & suppliers for working with us throughout the years! 🍾🥂🎉

08/24/2026

How do you properly size HVAC equipment for a SIP building?

You don't use the same rules of thumb you'd use for stick framing.

A high-performance SIP enclosure often allows smaller HVAC equipment to be specified, but that only holds if the system is sized around the building's actual, low air infiltration rate, not estimated the way a conventional envelope would be. That requires a qualified HVAC professional who understands what a SIP envelope is actually doing.

Get it wrong in the other direction, oversizing "to be safe," and the system never reaches the steady operating rate it was designed for. Short-cycling equipment isn't more reliable; it's less efficient and higher maintenance over the life of the system.

For architects and builders working through SIP specification, this is one of the more common questions we field. More answers here: https://hubs.ly/Q04tZJ230

08/22/2026

New to SIPs or still weighing your options? Our FAQ page covers the questions builders, architects, and homeowners ask most like...

→ Do SIPs require special ventilation systems?
→ Does a building with a SIP roof need to be ventilated?
→ What is the first step to building a SIP home?

Get the answers here: https://hubs.ly/Q04tQnB50

08/21/2026

Waste reduction doesn't get talked about as much as R-value or airtightness, but on a Western Canadian construction job site, it's one of the more underrated advantages of building with SIPs.

Because our panels are factory-cut to spec instead of framed and trimmed on site, jobsite framing waste drops by up to 60%.

That matters more in this region than it might elsewhere. On rural and remote projects across BC, Alberta, and the NWT, waste hauling isn't a quick trip, it's added time, added cost, and added logistics on every load. Cutting waste at the source, before it ever reaches the site, is a real efficiency gain, not just an environmental one.

→ Fewer dumpster loads
→ Lower disposal costs
→ Cleaner, quieter builds
→ Smart and sustainable by design

Building in BC, Alberta, or the NWT? Learn more about the benefits SIPs provide for builders: https://hubs.ly/Q04tQ8VG0

08/19/2026

Log post and beam construction has a character and craftsmanship that is hard to replicate. When it comes to the building envelope, SIPs are the natural match.

Wall, gable, and dormer assemblies built with SIPs pair seamlessly with log post and beam structures, delivering an airtight, high-performance envelope that complements the timber without compromising it. The panels go up fast, the building gets enclosed quickly, and the long-term performance is built into the system from day one.

For anyone building or planning a log home in BC, Alberta, or the Northwest Territories, it is a combination worth exploring.

→ https://hubs.ly/Q04tym-z0