A flat photovoltaic tile includes a shell made from plastic material and a photovoltaic element in a recess. The tile has front and rear faces, upstream and downstream edges, two right and left lateral edges. Overlapping portions ensure at least water-tightness against liquid water. The tile includes an electrical connection, the rear face including, towards the upstream edge, a tenon intended to hold the tile on a retaining device, in particular a batten. At the photovoltaic element, the tile includes, in its thickness, from the rear face towards the front face: a part of the shell a rear panel, a lower EVA film, a silicon photovoltaic conversion plate, an upper EVA film, and a tempered glass transparent layer, and, elsewhere, the tile includes, in its thickness, the plastic material of the shell.

A panelized complex polyhedron structure can be constructed quickly and inexpensively from a plurality panels. According to one embodiment, the structure includes a plurality of panels, wherein a first panel comprises an integrated connecting feature formed unitarily with the first panel and including a faceted feature connected to a plain end of a second panel. According to another embodiment, the first panel includes integrated connecting features including a plurality of planar faceted features, wherein one of the faceted features is connected to a plain end of the second panel. The plurality of planar faceted features are oriented at angles selected to enable a plurality of panel connections necessary to construct the structure. In one embodiment, the panel comprising the integrated connecting features is formed unitarily.

A retrofit roofing system with a roof furring having a substantially flat top and L-shaped side with openings that correspond to the raised portions of the existing metal roof panels, at least two fasteners that penetrate the L-shaped side through the existing metal roof panels and into the at least one roof perlins, a layer of adhesive on the substantially flat top portion of the roof furring; and at least one new metal roof panel on top of the layer of adhesive. There is also a new roofing system at least two roof perlins having a bottom portion attached to a roof deck by fasteners and a top portion, a layer of adhesive attached to the top portion of the at least two roof perlins and a metal roofing panel on top of the layer of adhesive attached to the top portion of the at least two roof perlins.

A purlin mounting system for use in a flat roof structure includes a purlin with a flat mounting wall and an upright wall extending perpendicularly from the mounting wall. First and second mounting shelves are attached to the upright wall and extend outwardly in opposite directions. Each mounting wall is positioned to receive an edge of a roof section thereon. The flat mounting wall and the upright wall define a vertical mounting channel extending from a lower surface of the flat mounting wall a distance less than the distance of the first and second mounting shelves from the mounting wall. A purlin positioning and mounting device is designed to be attached to a roof beam and includes a vertically extending support wall designed to extend upwardly from a supporting roof beam when attached to the supporting roof beam and to nest within the mounting channel.

A tensioned panel extended insulation system includes a support structure, a panel support structure and a pair of insulation panels. A telescoping tube extended insulation system includes a support structure and a ceiling sheet material. A rafter clip may be attached to a rafter for attachment of an end of the support structure. A cable arched telescoping tube extended insulation system includes an arched support structure, an adjustable spacer, a cable and the ceiling sheet material. A bar joist extended insulation system includes a support structure, an insulation support structure and an ceiling sheet material. A bar joist extended insulation system may be arched. A system for installing ceiling sheet material in buildings preferably includes either two roller supports or two sheave supports, a middle section, a first end section and a second end section. A rotary strut could also be used to replace an existing strut.

Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems provide for solar panel arrays that can be aesthetically pleasing and appear seamless to an observer. BIPV systems can be on-roof systems, elevated from the surface of a roof, being flush or forming a substantively uniform plane with roof panels or other panels mimicking a solar panel appearance. Pans supporting BIPV solar panels can be coupled by standing seams to other photovoltaic-supporting pans or pans supporting non-photovoltaic structures, having both functional and aesthetic advantages. In some configurations, inverted seams can couple photovoltaic-supporting pans and non-photovoltaic structures, forming a substantively planar surface. In some configurations, the appearance of BIPV systems can be particularly aesthetically pleasing and generally seamless to an observer.

Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems provide for solar panel arrays that can be aesthetically pleasing and appear seamless to an observer. BIPV systems can be incorporated as part of roof surfaces as built into the structure of the roof, flush or forming a substantively uniform plane with roof panels or other panels mimicking a solar panel appearance. Pans supporting BIPV solar panels can be coupled by standing seams, in both lateral and longitudinal directions, to other photovoltaic-supporting pans or pans supporting non-photovoltaic structures, having both functional and aesthetic advantages. In some configurations, the appearance of BIPV systems can be particularly aesthetically pleasing and generally seamless to an observer.

A structural batten provides a longitudinally extending first layer having a plurality of passages extending between opposing sides of the first layer and transverse to the longitudinal extent of the first layer. A longitudinally extending solid body layer is attached to the first layer along the first layer's longitudinal extent.

A purlin mounting system for use in a flat roof structure includes a purlin with a flat mounting wall and an upright wall extending perpendicularly from the mounting wall. First and second mounting shelves are attached to the upright wall and extend outwardly in opposite directions. Each mounting wall is positioned to receive an edge of a roof section thereon. The flat mounting wall and the upright wall define a vertical mounting channel extending from a lower surface of the flat mounting wall a distance less than the distance of the first and second mounting shelves from the mounting wall. A purlin positioning and mounting device is designed to be attached to a roof beam and includes a vertically extending support wall designed to extend upwardly from a supporting roof beam when attached to the supporting roof beam and to nest within the mounting channel.

A solar panel system comprising a plurality of joists, and a set of rectangular solar panels, each solar panel supported along opposing sides by two supporting joists. Each joist is formed with a plurality of wedge-shaped recesses, each recess having an end surface and a flat, sloping supporting surface meeting with a bottom edge of the end surface, the plurality of recesses together forming a saw-tooth contour. Each solar panel is received in the recesses of its supporting joists, resting on the supporting surfaces of the recesses with an upper edge of the solar panel meeting the end surfaces of the recesses, such that an upper solar panel has a lower edge which protrudes over an upper edge of a lower solar panel. With this design, the recesses provide guiding and fixation during the mounting, which saves time and ensures a reliable mounting process.