Vespers is a newly built, highly specified home, which sits behind electric gates at the end of a private drive in the village of Charlton Kings.

With five bedrooms, four bathrooms and three reception rooms, the property comprises almost 3,300 square feet of living space – including a generous 800 square feet kitchen.

Glosford SIPS is committed to Modern Methods of Construction and the government’s Code for Sustainable Homes and these values dovetailed with the architect’s and owner’s desire for a more sustainable approach.

The architect said while structural insulated panels (SIPS) are not new technology, they are not commonly used. This is despite the myriad benefits such as reducing build time, increasing insulation and energy efficiency and the fact they are airtight.

To meet the demands, Glosford SIPS manufactured and supplied prefabricated SIPS for the home, which also includes bespoke W20 steel windows and larch cladding.

Each 142mm panel comprised 112mm high performance rigid urethane insulation core, which is sandwiched between two layers of 15mm oriented strand board. To make them airtight, these panels were then attached to one another using a unique sealed jointing system, which minimises the amount of air that can pass through the joints. The panel design and principle of construction method also meant a continuous layer of insulation in the walls and roof.

The panels were all machined offsite and then delivered to Vespers, where they were assembled by crane over three weeks.