When it comes to sustainability, it is now often the supply chain that is driving the change we need, and roofing manufacturers are no exception, reports Ginetta Vedrickas.
A disappointing spring budget reminded housebuilders to expect little support from government in the drive for sustainability, but that isn’t stopping the UK’s top roofing contractors from charting their own course.
Wienerberger is determined to rise to the sustainability challenge despite the budget, explains Simon Garbett, category manager roof systems, who says that the final opportunity to give sustainable housebuilding practices a boost before any General Election fell short: “Without forthcoming government incentives, it’s more important than ever for industry to innovate and make sustainable roofing systems easier for contractors to adopt and install.”
Garbett notes that, apart from small investments in a few housing projects, the budget gave precious little support for housebuilders, particularly when it comes to sustainable building practices.
He continued: “No specific economic stimulus, little to encourage the adoption of more sustainable materials, and no additional incentives or regulations to promote energy-efficient construction methods mean it is once again up to the industry to innovate. Meanwhile, contractors are still grappling with changes to Part L of the current building regulations ahead of the implementation of the Future Homes Standard 2025.”
We all know that in less than 12 months all new homes built will have to produce 75-80% less carbon than homes built under current building regulations, but, with little in the way of government support to ease the transition, Garbett warns that it is down to industry players to take a fabric-first approach to new homes, specifying materials that reduce energy demand from the offset, and one technology that can help is in-roof solar panels.
Last year, Wienerberger launched its Sandtoft in-roof solar panels, and they have been in demand ever since. Designed for easy installation directly on to roof battens, the interlocking roofing panels mimic the look of traditional tiled roofs while being compatible with clay and concrete tiles. Each panel weighs just 8.95kg, and the direct mounting to battens reduces installation costs for roofing contractors. The panels are available as part of a complete roofing package that includes inverters and batteries, as well as roofing tiles and accessories, combining fabric, solar and storage technology.
Garbett warns, however, that making products and technology available is one thing; encouraging uptake is another, particularly considering that the budget also failed to address the industry’s need for a skilled workforce.
Garbett said: “According to the UK Trade Skills Index 2023, the construction and trades industry needs 937,000 new recruits over the next decade. By leveraging new technologies, building material suppliers can help overcome skills gaps and familiarise themselves with new products.”
Garbett points to one example, a new online solar configurator tool currently under development from Wienerberger, designed to simplify the design process for sustainable solar systems.
“The free tool empowers architects, housebuilders, and specifiers to effortlessly configure their solar panel array, calculate the expected power output in kilowatts peak, kWp, and generate a comprehensive bill of materials tailored to their design requirements.”
The user-friendly interface guides users through three straightforward steps to create an optimised solar system design. Firstly, users specify whether their project involves single or multiple elevations. Next, they input the roof dimensions in either inches or millimetres. Finally, users select their preferred panel configuration. The tool then generates a detailed summary, including the total power output, a customised bill of materials for each system component, and access to valuable resources and installation guides.
“Tools such as this support the training initiatives, which are an example of the work being done by Wienerberger to reverse the sector’s skills shortage,” said Garbett.
Wienerberger’s dedicated training programmes, which consist of both classroom and practical learning, help contractors learn how to install the Sandtoft in-roof solar system.
“Such support is invaluable to contractors looking to understand the benefits of in-roof solar, the impact of changes pertaining to the Future Homes Standard and how to effectively install Sandtoft in-roof solar panels,” said Garbett, who feels that, with the Future Homes Standard looming, it is imperative that companies take a proactive approach.
“While the promise of a General Election continues to offer further hope for a housebuilding recovery, the sector has already weathered several storms until now, with businesses continually coming together, innovating, and supporting each other to pave the way towards more accessible, affordable, and practical green building solutions. Adopting a fabric-first mentality and specifying energy-efficient materials, like in-roof solar panels, will be crucial to meeting stringent regulations and preparing for 2025, without immediate new governmental assistance.”
With longevity an increasing concern in the push towards sustainability, considering shelf-life is crucial. As all roof coverings and underlays need replacing at some point during a building’s useful life, when that time comes, how can the next generation of roof membranes help existing buildings meet current performance requirements and be resilient for the future?
Pamela Howat, senior technical advisor at A. Proctor Group, said: “Perhaps the biggest challenge presented by existing buildings is that no two projects are ever the same. The construction method and quality of the construction, combined with site-specific factors that affect exposure to weather, all influence the durability of a roof. Any resulting water ingress will have a further negative impact on lifespan.”
“How people use a building – the way they heat and ventilate it – varies from occupant to occupant. That changes how the building fabric responds to different internal conditions, shortening or prolonging a roof’s service life accordingly. Retrofitting a roof isn’t just about the roof; retrofit is all about managing risk.”
Howat warns that one of the most important considerations when retrofitting an existing building is that everything is interconnected, which is reinforced in all retrofit guidance.
“It might be tempting to look at the roof in isolation, but decisions enacted elsewhere will impact on the behaviour of the roof. Making other parts of the building fabric better insulated and more airtight will improve the building’s energy efficiency.”
She warns, however, that if corresponding improvements to ventilation provision are not made, then a build-up of moisture vapour internally could transfer into the roof space.
“Improvements carried out to the roof will affect the design and specification of future changes to other parts of the building.”
Howat feels that loft insulation is seen as “low hanging fruit” when it comes to retrofit.
“Often it is the first place that people start when improving the performance of a building, but it carries its own risks for the roof as a whole.”
Howat points to one significant issue with upgrading loft insulation: whether it can be installed without blocking existing eaves ventilation. She adds that the counter-issue to keeping ventilation pathways clear is making sure that gaps around the perimeter of the roof don’t act as a route for warm air to escape from occupied rooms below. Howat says Proctor Air, an air-permeable LR (low water vapour resistance) membrane, is ideal for retrofit projects. As an air-permeable, rather than airtight, LR underlay, no vapour control layer is required in the ceiling and no ventilation measures are required in the cold roof space, so insulation can be installed right into the eaves with no risk of blocking ventilation.
“Because every retrofit project is different, performance targets and available budgets are different, dictating the scope of work that can be carried out. Nevertheless, the overarching aim of many retrofits, and especially deep retrofits, is to prepare existing buildings for the future. That’s where A. Proctor Group’s new pitched roof underlay comes in. Proctor Air permits the passage of both air and moisture vapour through the roof construction, providing a more uniform flow of air than normal vents.”
The fourth-generation family business has a history of technical innovation, promoting good practice, and developing products that roofing contractors want to use.
“We have applied this wealth of experience to creating the next generation of air permeable LR membrane. All of this is backed by our unique 15-year warranty, offering peace of mind even in the face of an uncertain future climate.”
The future climate may be uncertain but knowing your supply chain’s sustainability credentials may add peace of mind. Altaterra, an owner of the Dakea brand, has been awarded gold membership by the Supply Chain Sustainability School (SCSS) in recognition of its progress towards sustainability and engagement with the SCSS platform. The SCSS is a collaborative virtual platform that provides learning and resources around sustainability, and aims to upskill those working within the built environment sector. Offering four membership levels, each level reflects how engaged an organisation is with SCSS, and rewards those who are committed to continuous improvement in sustainability, with gold membership representing the top tier.
Altaterra’s European region manager, Mhairi McDougall, said: “Altaterra, which has been part of SCSS for eight years, has achieved gold status as a result of its progress towards meeting its sustainability targets.”
McDougall added that Dakea launched its zero plastic, 100% recyclable product packaging for its roof window category in 2022, which was extended to flashing accessories in 2023.
“These initiatives are saving nine tons of plastic each year and are also designed to help the construction industry, particularly housebuilders and property developers, with onsite waste management. This forms part of the Altaterra’s WeCare Sustainability Strategy, developed in conjunction with the Science Based Targets initiative, a coalition of expert organisations that helps private companies set science-backed climate goals.”
Renowned for pioneering sustainable housing solutions, Smartroof understands the unique challenges facing the construction industry, so its team of experienced engineers has developed an insulated, panellised room-in-roof system that reduces overall build time, addresses the issue of skill shortages onsite and improves health and safety during the construction process. With depth of knowledge and experience of room-in-roof construction, the company’s technical and installation team can manage projects from concept to site.
“The Smartroof system is manufactured offsite and offers a whole range of benefits associated with moving roof construction away from the building site and into a factory-controlled environment. This includes health and safety, speed of construction, cost certainty and consistent quality,” said design and technical director, Tom Wright.
Wright says that Smartroof’s offsite manufactured modular roof system “aligns seamlessly” with the stringent carbon emissions reduction targets of the Future Homes Standard for all new housing by 2025.
“It offers an economical solution to both heat loss and thermal bridging, meeting the new Part L regulations, marking a significant step towards energy-efficient homes. Smartroof’s factory production guarantees airtightness and eliminates cold spots, making it ideal for a fabric-first approach. With a diverse range of materials and insulations, Smartroof is prepared to meet various thermal requirements.”
VELUX is also working in partnership with industry leaders, says national housing manager Trevor Smith: “VELUX is working closely with several other building material manufacturers in the Regional & Bespoke Developers Forum, set up and facilitated by Edwin de Silva, who are creating a collaborative marketing communication programme of materials initially for a group of five SME housebuilders, but ultimately for wider SME developers to utilise, to support their sales progression. Each manufacturer involved has committed to progressing focus and development of supporting tools and services. VELUX is proud to be involved and supporting the wider SME community.”
VELUX is also collaborating with numerous housebuilders on designs for new projects. Its in-house design team supports housebuilders, including architects and daylight engineers.
Smith continued: “When housebuilders partner with VELUX, they get access to our in-house design service to help them achieve optimal daylighting within their housing projects.”
As part of its design service, it carries out daylight analysis on house plans and provides renders of how plans can be adapted to improve daylight conditions within certain room types and throughout the home plan.
“Our visualisation materials, including renders, daylight animations and 3D walks, can provide housebuilders with materials to share with local authorities to help facilitate planning or indeed support the housebuilders marketing activities to communicate future house designs to prospective house-buying customers,” said Smith.
“Roof windows can let in more than two times as much light as vertical façade windows of the same size, and three times more light than vertical dormer windows. Placing a roof window over the stairwell not only enhances the level of daylight on the stairwell and indeed within the centre of the house, but it also aids better ventilation.”
Housebuilders are also increasingly incorporating roof windows into extended ground floor living areas, said Smith: “We have received feedback from housebuilders that customers are particularly impressed with the levels of daylight and feeling of spaciousness and connection to the outdoors that roof windows provide in extended living spaces.”
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