Solar Solution is Storming Success on Damaged Roof

The flat roof on Linn Products’ main office building in Glasgow had been left badly damaged by heavy storms, with all existing ballasted solar panels lifted off the roof and destroyed beyond repair. The client was left with two problems: a leaking roof and the loss of their photovoltaic (PV) system. The remedial work had to be completed to fixed deadlines in order to comply with insurance requirements, and Linn wanted to maximise the use of their roof area by replacing the pre-existing PV array with a solar solution of the highest quality. Bauder’s state-of-the-art photovoltaic system, SOLfixx, successfully fulfilled this requirement.
 
Due to the building’s exposed location, robust wind uplift calculations were performed prior to work commencing on site, ensuring the new roof could resist even the most extreme weather conditions. The original single ply waterproofing was overlaid with 2,500m² of Bauder’s Thermofol PVC system, which possesses high tensile strength and is resilient to the natural elements. Having installed the new waterproofing, Bauder approved contractor W G Walker & Co fitted the SOLfixx system onto the roof using a unique interlocking method that doesn’t penetrate the waterproofing or roof deck, preserving the roof’s integrity. Any slight movement of the panels experienced from wind uplift is easily tolerated by the SOLfixx system, providing the client with long-term reassurance with regards to their roof’s future performance.

The PV array consisted of 166 modules, set at a 10° angle for optimum energy production, enabling Linn Products to generate at least 38.67 Megawatt Hours of solar power each year and over 20 tonnes of CO2 annual savings. The remarkable simplicity of the installation method also meant that the entire array could be fitted in just two days, ensuring the refurbishment work adhered to the exact deadlines agreed with the client.
 
Project specifier, Ramsay McMichael Consulting stated their delight with the final result, “Bauder provided high levels of technical assistance throughout the project and delivered to the client a comprehensive waterproofing and PV solution of the absolute highest quality. All works were completed on time and to budget, successfully transforming the badly damaged roof area into an aesthetically pleasing benchmark for roof sustainability.”