Designing a solar roof for a showroom

Look at the slope from the customer’s approach as well as in plan. Reflections, the junction with the façade and the depth of the eaves all affect its appearance. Solar cells may remain visible. Aligning the fields with the other features of the showroom helps them look like part of the building.

Windows and rooflights take up space that could generate electricity, but daylight serves the displays and the people using the room. Compare the effect of each proposed opening on the exhibition space with the generation gained by covering that area with modules.

Openings in a BIPV roof need room for flashings and the specified junction details. Active panels cannot simply be cut to fit around glazing. Set out the panel grid and openings together to avoid narrow strips of covering and awkward junctions next to an installed rooflight.

Lighting, ventilation and display equipment in use during the day may consume solar electricity as it is generated. Check the actual load. Some showrooms use most electricity in the late afternoon, while others open for shorter hours or trade seasonally. Annual bills alone are insufficient to size the active area.

Include closed days and quieter trading periods. Surplus generation on a Sunday has a different use and value from electricity consumed during a busy trading day. Choose the active area using the value of the output for this showroom’s pattern of operation.

Agree the positions of exhaust outlets, ducts and other rooftop equipment before ordering active panels. Such equipment can cast shadows and may require regular servicing. Reserve passive areas and clear access routes at the design stage to avoid drilling into a finished roof or moving equipment without checking the design.

The roofing system itself needs ventilation and drainage. A gap beneath a module may be reserved for airflow or water management. Show the relative positions of services and roofing elements on the drawings so that one system can operate without obstructing the other.

Agree barriers, timing and access to entrances before work starts. Allow for deliveries and for customers moving around the site. Where the roof has to be opened, plan how to protect both the interior and the merchandise. Some disruption may be unavoidable during a roof replacement.

Coordinating electrical and roofing work can reduce repeat visits. Set out the stages and the conditions for accepting each one. Some activities may need to pause even if part of the showroom stays open. A clear programme lets staff warn customers and make alternative arrangements.

Show views of each slope, the layout of active and passive panels and every opening. Include the generation forecast, the demand profile and the full installed cost. If architectural lighting is planned, check how the building looks after dark as well. This is a separate consideration from its daytime electricity output.

A well-integrated roof can be an unobtrusive part of a showroom. Judge the layout by how well it supplies electricity, lights the displays and leaves maintenance access. Some space may serve the showroom better as a rooflight or a service route than as an additional active panel.

Companies and brands in roof-integrated photovoltaics include BIPVco, Autarq, Wienerberger Wevolt, Terrán, Tesla, MDM NT (MyRoof), Electrotile, SunRoof, ML System and SolRoof.