EDITOR ’ S CHOICE
IMPORTANT FIRE SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS FOR SOLAR ENERGY PLANTS ON ROOF TOPS
LISA STEPHENS , PRODUCT MANAGER FOR THE BUILDING ENVELOPE AT ROCKWOOL ® UK , EXPLAINS WHICH SAFETY MEASURES NEED TO BE CONSIDERED BEFORE INSTALLING SOLAR PANELS ON A ROOF
As the result of increased efforts to reduce carbon emissions , coupled with the rising cost for energy and general living expenses , the UK and Europe have seen a rapid growth of the market for solar energy .
Flat roofs have been used as an additional space to house building services equipment , including installations for the generation of renewable energy , for many years . When planning the installation of roof-top solar panels , all parties involved ( designers , specifiers , owners , contractors and insurers ) have to be aware of any associated potential fire risks , and engaged in mitigating them .
What needs to be considered for roof-top solar installations
The use of non-combustible flat-roof materials , including insulation , is a straightforward way for designers and developers to address the fire hazards associated with the building envelope , including where solar PV is installed .
This approach follows best practice guidance from some insurers , who may recommend that buildings they cover utilise non-combustible materials in highrisk areas such as the roof . New guidance published by the Fire Protection Association ( FPA ) under its RISCAuthority research scheme suggests a similar solution : “ PV installations should be installed on non-combustible roofs meeting Class A1 / A2 s1 , d0 to BS EN 13501-1 . Fires involving combustible roofs will spread quickly , without the benefit of any protection installed within the building .”
“ Flat roofs have been used as an additional space to house building services equipment , including installations for the generation of renewable energy , for many years .
Compliance and liability In England , Approved Document B provides guidance on how designers can meet building regulation requirements for fire safety – but there are multiple routes to compliance , and different ways to demonstrate an appropriate level of fire protection . Responsible parties must consider carefully whether their specific project adheres to the statutory requirements , rather than to the guidance alone .
ROCKWOOL recently launched the new whitepaper ‘ Flat roofs : The functional fifth façade ’. It offers practical advice to simplify specification whilst going above and beyond legislative requirements .
For more information and to download the whitepaper go to : https :// rockwool . link / RW-ArchetechFF
The organisation also addressed this topic in ‘ Need to Know Guide RE3 : Rooftop-mounted PV Solar Systems ’: “ Ensure roofing materials are noncombustible ( Class A1 / A2 s1 , d0 to BS EN 13501-1 ) OR if installation on a combustible or partly-combustible roof is unavoidable , then apply a fire resistant covering .”
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