b'Roofing and Photovoltaics Continued from page 8 MRCA T&R Committee Develops Photovoltaics Action Plan Kevin Gwaltney Chairman, PV Task Force committee T MRCA T&R committee isructuring a t to research phohest ask force voltaics and their impact on roof contracting and applications.comThe itteeacesaics m recognizes and embr the fact that photovolt (PV) will beTh isdoubt that some systems called thin skin PVs, which are actuallymounted onsystems and we look toter knowledge of erenoroofdemonstra ouaofroof itself,increase the heatd."good roofing p and our w ingness to become involved in partthewillloa ractices"ill theT are also fire secu questions, code questions, insurance issues andprofessional design and implementation of-tight andPV hererityweather efficient new differing sa issues. The and ann number of unintendedrooflications. fetyseunk ownappconsequences are waiting on the horiz to sp dreams of high returns, onoil Jud ation,ealthyti re by free power and big tax incentives.icious investig h skep Desired results ofsearch completedthe task force: cism andu realistic cost/benefit analysis is req b buying into1.Determineandroofing-integrated PV applicacaref l,uiredeforesteep- low-slopetions. the latest rage.2.Define strengths, weakn opportu and th ofof esses,nitiesreatseachthe T roofing industry needs to be more involved and shou ively partici above app cations. held act lipate in the feasibility study, design and installation ofop PV systems. The3.Become involved inCenter for the Environ Inn ion rooft NRCA\'smentalovatPV industry needs to understandcaret the importance of the per in Roofing (CEIR) andaboum.ecomeconferences andPV, formance of the roof and consider it part of the syste 4.B involved inseminars whereas it relates Our opin n attimeT lCommittee mem lo roofin is present. io thisisMRCAechnica and Researchg, bers share the opinion that n of these systems, from-and-s ck thin 5.Suggest afinition for jurisdiction, warranty coverage, and liability onepeel ti defilm panels to structural arrays, shouldinstalled on an ngr than aexpos ofroof ap where electricians, rooferssolar beythi othe urePVplicationsand new roof that is designed to be compatible with the system toused, and thetrades are bepresent. willoducedocumenuse itengender. The life of the roof should exceed the design life of the PV6.Pr at defining characteristics of roof conditions suitPe ingthetheofsui for system.rsons work onsystem should be trained inproper careable and nottablePV applications. the roof and be trained to report a dama might occur. R should7.Monitor actual PV roof a licationsvarious membranes and sunyge thatooferspp onblikewise be trained in workingder andthese systems.strates. un around T isnodoubtthat PV systems willbecome thed inant"green"8.Demonstrate tothesolar movementforroof-topapplicationsthat hereomenhancementthe roofing system. Members of the MRCACommittee,roofersa need to be involved in aPVapplicatoT&Rwantndsuccessfulroof Wwhile being cautious, we support these e a enco ge our MR tion. ffortsndura CA onstr teess members to become involved in the process for two basic reasons.9.Dem a a willingn from the roofing industry to promote PV The first is simplevival. Ifdottwill lose control ofroof applications a g long erm weath ightness and efficient sur youno ge involved youchievin -t ertbothand the product. T systemsbe in led whether yousolar sthe processhesewillstal upplications. participatenot. Yourwillth youknorcustomersdemandatbe asowledgeable and competentP your com .Current issues or problems from a roofing perspective of PV inVs aspetitionThe second isicn .tems areficcen rsmounted on roof systems bas eco omics These sys terri profitte and muchthanact or abigger piece of the economic piethe roof system.1.Solar integrators areing independently, without involving roofers To this end, the authors of this articleencouraged the MR T&R Com "gnod roofing practice" in PV roof a tions. haveCApplicamitteehas to esta an a hoc ta rce with the specific g of involv 2.Need lo d jurisdiction, w rantyrage,liability exposure blishedd- sk fo oalefinear cove and ing roofing contractors inPV industry, and to positively a ect the pr among tradesvolved with installing PVapplications. theff ocessin roof from design totalla MRCA hasjoined the Center for3.Highlight the need to involve professional roofers and premium roof ins tion.alsoEnvironmenRoo IR)aspects of tal Innovation infing (CE so that we can be involved in allthesystemsdesignedto beweathertight forlongperiodstoachieve revolut ofsuccessf"green roofingion."desired resultsaul PV roof application and maintenance to We will also publish here the outline andof our PVsk force.thethe system. goalsta See PV Task Force Action Plan on this page for further details.Over the next cou of months, the T&R committee w ldeveloping pleil be Any and all opinions expressed in this and all other articles in Midwestthe committee and its overall structu Levels of par ipation willidenre.tic be Roofer are those ofauthor(s) and notthose ofby fact oftified andloped as we continue to finalize the structurethe committhenecessarilyMRCAdeve of usnowinpublication.tee. Letk of yourterest. IO'