From Foam to Bio-Based: The Materials Evolution Behind GO Logic’s Panels
At GO Logic, panelization has never been the end goal — it’s been a strategy in service of something bigger: building homes that perform better and last longer. From the start, our mission has been to make Passive House-level performance more straightforward while steadily improving the materials we build with. That means more than speed and precision. It means healthier, lower-carbon, more resilient assemblies — and a building process that works better for people, inside and out.
Over the past decade, our enclosure systems have evolved with those values. Here’s how our panel materials have changed — and why it matters.
Phase 1: SIPs + Foam — Fast, but Fossil-Fueled
In the early years, structural insulated panels (SIPs) gave us a way to build high-performance shells quickly. They were pre-cut, pre-insulated, and easy to install. But they were also rigid in design, heavy to handle, and filled with foam — a fossil-fuel product with high embodied carbon and few options at the end of life.
As our design goals and ecological standards advanced, we knew we needed to move on.
Phase 2: Mineral Wool — More Durable, Still Carbon-Heavy
Next came mineral wool: safer, more vapor-open, and with solid thermal performance. It improved resilience, drying potential, and health. But it had tradeoffs — energy-intensive manufacturing, itchy and dusty installation, and limited carbon benefits. It was a step forward, but not the finish line.
Phase 3: Wood Fiber — Ideal Performance, Until the Pandemic
Thick wood fiber insulation from Europe checked every box: low-carbon, vapor-open, easy to handle, and highly effective. For a few years, it worked well. Then the pandemic disrupted supply chains. Shipping delays, spiking costs, and instability pushed us to look for something closer to home.
Phase 4: TimberHP + Hemp — Bio-Based and Local
Today, we’re building with TimberHP’s wood fiber batts — a Maine-made, plant-based insulation that’s breathable, resilient, and locally sourced. It offers performance on par with our European suppliers but with shorter supply chains and stronger economic roots. We’ve also experimented with hemp insulation and continue to explore other bio-based options. Our system is adaptable to various bio-based materials, designed to evolve as better options become available.
Why It Matters
Material choices carry climate consequences. From embodied carbon to worker health to durability and supply stability, every step forward makes a difference. By shifting the materials in our panels toward plant-based, low-toxicity components, we’re lowering the climate impact of every home we build and improving the work environment for the people who build them.
Just as importantly, we’re holding the line on what matters most to homeowners: comfort and performance. Every change we make is measured against those benchmarks, so progress never comes at their expense.
