No one can deny the fact that solar energy is here to stay – and more commercial and residential property owners are harnessing solar power and benefitting from it as we write, even in the UK. What was seen as an ‘unworthy’ investment in years past is now increasingly seen as a viable investment for any property, especially since you can take advantage of various schemes that can give you a good return on your investment, and the cost of solar panel installations have gone down as well.
But whilst you can always choose to have a standard installation, it’s worth looking into and thinking about in-roof or integrated solar panel installations. This kind of installation is entirely different from the traditional solar panel system built on top of the roof, as the system is designed to become your roof (well, a portion of it). But why else does it make sense to have an in-roof solar panel installation, particularly if you have a new-build or historical structure? Let’s find out.
Why integrated solar panel installations work with new-builds and historic buildings
You may already have a good idea of some of the key benefits and offerings of an integrated solar panel installation, one of which is the fact that its design makes it your actual solar panel roof. Because the panels will replace a segment of your roof’s tiles or slates, there is no longer any need to leave tiles or slates beneath the panels. Instead, the panels are weatherproofed and are built to serve as your roof’s tiles or slates, and they are sometimes even stronger than the original tiles or slates.
But on to the bigger question: why do integrated solar panel installations work with new-builds and historic buildings?
- Whilst you can also retrofit integrated solar panels to existing roof structures, it is inherently suitable for new-builds or entire roof replacement projects. The reason for this is because you can fit your integrated solar panels at the same time as the tiles or slates on your new roof, so installers don’t have to walk on top of the panel system, which can result in minute cracks. These cracks, whilst tiny, can cause issues after some time, especially when continuously exposed to the elements. When you install your solar panel system at the same time as your roofing system, you are not likely to require earlier replacement for your solar panels.
- Integrated solar panels are also specially designed to sit evenly on the roof with no bulkiness, and you can also have them made to fit your roof’s colour theme. Because of this, it is easier for you to meet the requirements for planning permission, particularly for protected sites or listed building structures. And since integrated or in-roof solar panels will not add any extra weight to your roof system, they are often a much better option for historic buildings with more fragile architecture.
Alongside all this, integrated solar panels are not as costly as a whole solar roof replacement project. Their price has also gone down considerably from the time they were first introduced by manufacturers. As a result, the technology has become a lot more popular. Those who want something aesthetically pleasing and ideal for their new (or older) structure would do well to go with an integrated solar panel installation.
Image attributed to Pixabay.com
