Solar

Revised standards and a new Government bill to better protect people living in social housing are putting a fresh onus on the correct product and system specification, including roofs.

Stuart Nicholson, Roof Systems Director from Marley, says working with a single source supplier that understands the implications and can collaborate to ensure regulatory compliance should be a strategic imperative for local authorities.

The impending introduction of Part L of the Building Regulations is the latest step on the journey to generate more low carbon and energy efficient social housing across the UK.

Add in the current unprecedented escalation in energy prices and the impending cost of living crisis for many tenants, and homes provided by the public sector must now, more than ever, be both sustainable and help to mitigate consumer energy cost worries.  

Stuart Nicholson from Marley says the strategic specification of proven, easy to install and energy efficient solar PV as part of a sustainable roofing solution, can have a positive impact for local authorities and their tenants.

As social housing landlords grapple with decarbonisation, the need to invest in the right renewable technology is vital. Big decisions made now are likely to have long-term implications. But with the government still to fully outline the best technologies to make homes more energy efficient, landlords are faced with the quandary of which systems to invest in. They have to balance their journey to net zero with ensuring they don’t make costly mistakes that could catch up with them down the line.

With changes to Part L of the building regulations coming in this year that will affect all new build homes, Stuart Nicholson, roof systems director at Marley, covers key considerations.

The UK’s net zero strategy that includes ambitious carbon reduction targets in both the new Part L and the Future Homes Standard, as well as the recent announcement of the Government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy, and the associated £800 million Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, means the spotlight is on those responsible for ensuring improved energy performance in the nation’s homes, discusses Stuart Nicholson, Roof Systems Director at Marley. 

With net zero ambitions set across the UK, and the Future Homes Standard calling for all new homes built from 2025 to deliver a 75-80% reduction in carbon emissions, integrated photovoltaics (PV) systems are seen as part of the solution.
To aid the specification market as it seeks to design in renewable energy solutions needed for the homes of tomorrow, Marley has launched a new solar panel providing superior aesthetic appeal and improved power output.
The new enhanced Marley SolarTile® – delivers a lean, low-profile aesthetic for both new build and retrofit projects and offers simple and quick roof integration.

Solar panels have formed an ever-expanding feature of the UK roofscape, and regulation changes, allied to the Government’s Future Homes Standard, intend to make UK new homes ‘zero carbon ready’ by 2025.  The prospect is for roofs to become a mainstream element of the renewable energy economy.

As concerns about inadequate roof fire barrier installation grow, Marley’s Roof Defence can help housing association specifiers deliver guaranteed protection against the spread of hidden roof fires.

Building Regulations require that new homes are built with fire protection measures to delay the spread of fire and allow crucial time to escape. So, when a roof is compartmentalised between adjoining homes, fire barriers are seen as an integral safety feature, to prevent the spread of flames and smoke in case of a fire.