Composite insulating panel

1. A composite insulating panel, comprising:

a backing member including an upper end, a front face, a substantially flat rear face, a top face having a top front edge, and a bottom face comprising a front section and a rear section, wherein a groove is defined in the bottom face between the front and rear sections; and

a siding member including an upper end, a lower end including a bottom lip, a veneer with a bottom edge, an upper strip that defines a top edge of the siding member, and a nailing divot located between the veneer and the upper strip;

wherein at least a substantial portion of the front face of the backing member is bonded to a rear face of the siding member;

wherein the bottom lip extends rearward from the bottom edge of the veneer and is located adjacent to the front section of the bottom face of the backing member; and

wherein the siding member further comprises a groove lining that extends from a rearward end of the bottom lip to a bottom edge of the rear face of the backing member, the groove lining abutting the groove; and

wherein a tongue is defined in combination by the upper end of the siding member and the upper end of the backing member, the tongue being adapted to engage in another groove of a backing member of an associated adjacent composite insulating panel;

wherein the top edge of the siding member aligns with the top front edge of the backing member; and

wherein the top face of the backing member and the rear face of the backing member are not covered by the siding member; and

wherein the composite insulating panel can pass ASTM D3679 surface distortion standards when tested at 170° F.

2. The composite insulating panel of claim 1 , wherein the front section of the bottom face of the backing member extends downward beyond the rear section of the backing member.

3. The composite insulating panel of claim 1 , wherein the groove has a front face, a rear face, and an upper face that connects the front face of the groove to the rear face of the groove, the upper face forming an acute angle with the front face, and the front face and the rear face being generally parallel to each other.

4. The composite insulating panel of claim 1 , wherein the nailing divot is formed of at least two layers of different materials.

5. The composite insulating panel of claim 4 , wherein the at least two layers of different materials are formed by co-extrusion.

6. The composite insulating panel of claim 1 , wherein the groove defined in the bottom face between the front and rear sections consists of front and rear walls which diverge from each other.

7. The composite insulating panel of claim 6 , wherein the groove lining consisting consists of a forward face portion extending generally perpendicular to the bottom lip, and a rearward face portion extending at an acute angle in relation to the forward face portion.

8. The composite insulating panel of claim 1 , wherein the rear face of the groove forms an acute angle with the rear face of the backing member; and

wherein the front face of the backing member forms an acute angle with the top face of the backing member.

9. The composite insulating panel of claim 1 , wherein the backing member has a first thickness measured as a distance between the rear face of the backing member and the front face of the backing member at the nailing divot, and a second thickness measured as a distance between the rear face of the backing member and the front face of the backing member at a closed end of the groove; and

wherein the second thickness is greater than the first thickness.

10. The insulating panel of claim 9 , wherein a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness of the backing member is from about 0.25:1 to about 0.75:1.

11. The composite insulating panel of claim 1 , wherein the nailing divot is recessed relative to a front face of the veneer.

12. An insulated siding system comprising a first composite panel and a second composite panel;

wherein the first composite panel and the second composite panel both comprise:

a backing member including an upper end, a front face, a substantially flat rear face, a top face having a top front edge, and a bottom face comprising a front section and a rear section, wherein the front face is angled with respect to the rear face, and wherein a groove is defined in the bottom face between the front and rear sections; and

a siding member including an upper end, a lower end including a bottom lip, a veneer with a bottom edge, an upper strip that defines a top edge of the siding member, and a nailing divot located between the veneer and the upper strip;

wherein at least a substantial portion of the front face of the backing member is bonded to a rear face of the siding member;

wherein the bottom lip extends rearward from the bottom edge of the veneer of the siding member and is located adjacent to the front section of the bottom face of the backing member; and

wherein the siding member further comprises a groove lining that extends from a rearward end of the bottom lip to a bottom edge of the rear face of the backing member, the groove lining abutting the groove; and

wherein a tongue is defined in combination by the upper end of the siding member and the upper end of the backing member, and wherein the top edge of the siding member aligns with the top front edge of the backing member;

wherein the top edge of the siding member aligns with the top front edge of the backing member; and

wherein the top face of the backing member and the rear face of the backing member are not covered by the siding member;

wherein the tongue of the first composite panel engages the groove of the second composite panel;

wherein the system has a windload resistance of at least 60 lbs per square inch when tested according to ASTM D5206 with the backing members having a thickness of 1.25 inches or less.