SUSTAINABILITY
SUN SHINES ON BREEDON TILE COLLABORATION
A new partnership with a European manufacturer sees Breedon move into solar roof tiles as BMJ finds out.
E
nergy saving should not be at the expense of aesthetics. That’s according to Breedon Group commercial manager, Mark Morris. In line with this the UK building products provider is launching their new integrated solar roof tile product, Generon, this summer.
Unlike traditional solar panels, integrated
solar roof tiles offer a sleek and seamless design that blends in with the rest of the roof, whilst maintaining high levels of performance. It will be delivered as part of a joint venture with leading European roof tile manufacturer Terran, headquartered in Hungary. A 3rd generation family-owned business, Terran over the past five years has successfully developed and commercialized the Generon roof tile in Eastern Europe
Working in collaboration, both parties have developed a solar roof tile that can be fully integrated with a thin edge concrete roof tile, and in accordance with UK building regulations and product performance standards. The Generon design is centred around three key fundamentals of aesthetics, safety and durability. With the 4mm solar PV surface securely attached to a base concrete rooftile, the rooftiles are laid in sequence with matching non-PV rooftiles. Interconnecting cables link the Generon tiles to create an overall solar output based on the number of tiles fitted. Typically, 260 tiles – approximately 10sq m - are required to generate a 4kW PV system, which is the benchmark for family homes. Once fitted the
maintenance over time owing to the securely integrated nature of their design. “Homeowners can download an app and then see how much power they are generating,” Morris says. “Plus, if there’s an issue or a problem with one tile, there is a minimal loss of power. It’s easy to spot and disconnect that tile for replacing, so the rest of the roof still generates power.”
Generon system then simply connects to the remaining PV infrastructure, to generate safe, reliable and renewable energy for the home. This combination delivers a seamlessly integrated solar roof, without any aesthetic compromise for the homeowner.
Morris explains that the integrated solar roof tiles blend in seamlessly with the rest of the roofline, providing a sleek and uniform appearance that complements the original architectural style of the home, rather than sitting on top of the rest of the roof. “There is also no need for separate contractors to install solar panels, as they can be easily installed by a roofing contractor in sequence with the standard concrete roof tiles, meaning installation is both speedier and less costly,” he says. The solar roof tiles are designed to be highly durable and withstand harsh weather conditions, including heavy rain, hail, and high winds. They have a longer lifespan than traditional solar panels and require less
Morris believes that the growth forecasts for solar roof tile products are very promising. “Many industry analysts predict double-digit annual growth for the adoption of solar systems for the next decade. Both home builders and buyers are becoming increasingly conscious about the need for investing in sustainable living solutions, a trend that is set to continue unabated into the future.
“Government policies, building regulations, and energy incentive schemes will continue to drive the solar market and we foresee that homeowners will want more aesthetically pleasing options.”
The company expects Generon to be one of a growing range of integrated solar products, driving competition and innovation in the marketplace. “This will ensure the end user continues to get high levels of value and service, as they look to reduce their carbon footprint and save money on home energy costs,” Morris says. “With this partnership, we have committed to becoming a leader in this new market, delivering high-performing renewable home energy, without any aesthetic compromise.” BMJ
June 2023
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net 31
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