Patent ID: 8726594

Claim:
A composite building panel comprising: a central body, substantially parallelepipedic in shape, comprised of an expanded polymer matrix, having a first surface and an opposing second surface; and one or more reinforcing structural elements longitudinally extending across the central body having a first side portion embedded in the expanded polymer matrix, and a second side portion extending away from the first surface of the central body and one or more expansion holes located in the reinforcing structural element between the first side portion of the reinforcing structural element and the first surface of the central body; wherein the central body comprises the polymer matrix that expands through the expansion holes; and a space defined by the first surface of the central body and the second side portion of the reinforcing structural elements is adapted for accommodating utilities through said space, and wherein the one or more reinforcing structural elements comprise a stud selected from the group consisting of: C-type stud; CT-type stud; and CC-type stud.