Structural insulated panels are lightweight and efficient in terms of materials, but they are a long lead time engineered product manufactured in bespoke factories for specific requirements of each project.

Which is to say there are shop drawings and you can’t just go down to the store on Saturday and strap a few to the roof of your station wagon even if you just want to build a shed.

In the broad sweep of history they are a modern product.

But in 1995 I worked with a guy who used to work at the local plant. That’s how I learned about them.

Later he and his brother built a house out of them…that’s where the panels on top of the wagon image comes from.