Roofless Roof
Concept
A low cost roof which instead of using standard roofing, uses PV panels that have a gutter system making the PV panels function as a water-tight roof. The advantage is using building-integrated PV to provide the water-tightness function typically provided by a standard roof. This is done while avoiding the cost of the standard roofing material, at $4/sf cost [1] This produces value in energy which pays back for the PV and roof cost in 2 years (2 year payback time for PV by value of electricity generated) - effective providing a free roof. The up-front cost is 2x that of standard roof (PV costs $8/sf [2]).
Requirements
- Water proof with PV
- Has allowance for temporary cover with any other material available, from sheet, mesh, flexible sheet, etc. Bamboo for temp shade.
- Fractal design: can be repaired in modules, doesn't require disassembly of surroundig modules to fix. To implement - think of rail - into which the flanges of PV insert.
From Architecture Part Library
Roofing detail for a 'roofless roof with solar panels', v2. - File:Roofless.fcstd.
Roofing detail for a 'roofless roof with solar panels'. v1. - File:Roofdete.fcstd.
Working Doc
Calc
- nxm grid has n-1 times m-1 crosses and 2 times n times m lines.
- Ie, crosses are about the same as number of panels, lines are twice the panels
- Per panel roofless roof gutter cost - half cross plus at $9 one 10' PVC pipe at $25 [Cellular Core DWV Schedule 40 PVC Pipe at Menards® [3] and Cellular Core DWV Schedule 40 PVC Pipe at Menards® [4]
[Solid Core Schedule 40 PVC Pressure Pipe at Menards® https://www.menards.com/main/plumbing/pipe-fittings/pvc-pipe-fittings/solid-core-schedule-40-pvc-pressure-pipe/pvc074000600/p-1444426396367-c-8571.htm]
