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Flat roof mounting: Be aware of skylights and atriums

The building has a height of 25 metres and is located in  category III terrain (built-up areas). The wind forces to be taken into account locally are very high with a dynamic pressure of 0.9 kilonewton per square metre. The typical gust velocity pressure is 1,139 kilonewtons per square metre.

Paving stones and double the struts

That is why the technicians had to do more than just place paving stones in the columns of 13 blocks and double the struts to hold them. In addition, 42 wind deflectors were installed. This ensures that each individual panel is secured against lift-off. The solar arrays cannot shift.

For the flat roof on the Waldhaus private brewery in the Black Forest, on the other hand, the Ernst Schweizer AG had to take into account that there was a 60-centimetre high and 20-centimetre thick attic.

Large base profiles

Because the insulation material was mineral fibre and therefore very soft and the snow loads at the site of 3.083 kilonewtons per square metre were high, the Ernst Schweizer AG used large base profiles for this project and divided the 1,530 solar panels (459 kilowatts) into 28 blocks. The large base profiles distribute the load over a larger surface area. Adding ballast with paving stones was largely avoided. Only those three blocks directly adjacent to the attics had a total of 34 lawn edgings added, each weighing 3.5 kilograms. (author: Dr Helge Hartwig)

Dr Helge Hartwig is Head of Sales and Technology for PV mounting systems at Ernst Schweizer AG.

Read this about Ernst Schweizer AG, too:
http://www.pveurope.eu/News/Installation/Module-installation-Stable-systems-for-all-roofs
http://www.pveurope.eu/News/Installation/Sjef-de-Bruijn-from-Ernst-Schweizer-AG-We-have-to-be-very-efficient

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Read more on PV in Europe:
http://www.pveurope.eu/News/Installation/Advanced-mounting-solutions-for-British-and-Irish-roofs
http://www.pveurope.eu/News/Solar-Generator/PV-Guided-Tours-More-roofs-fewer-parts
http://www.pveurope.eu/News/Installation/Solrif-in-roof-systems-for-housing-projects-in-England

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