A lighter, more cost-effective roofing system and method, which includes a rain diverting feature for directing rainwater and snowmelt away from an underlying sheet material and roof deck, is provided. The invention includes a sheet material having an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper surface includes one of a hook and loop fastener and the lower surface is configured to be attached to the roof deck. The present invention further includes a plurality of roofing tiles, each tile having hook and loop fasteners adhered to a back face which extend along the width of the tile at or near the uppermost and lowermost edges. Each rain diverting feature, which is a strip-like device with one surface made up of a plurality of hook portions and an opposing surface made up of a plurality of portions complementary to the hook portions, is positioned between and releasably attached to the hook and loop fasteners located on a side-edge portion of two adjacent tiles and the underlying sheet material, thereby releasably attaching the tiles to each other and to the upper surface of the underlying sheet material. The use of rain diverting devices to direct rainwater and snowmelt away from the underlying sheet material and roof deck allows for single lap tiling and thus less weight on the roof deck. It also allows for shorter tiles to be used, thus saving material cost.

This application relates to the ventilation of a solar roof. For example, a solar roof can include a solar roof tile and a spacer, batten or other ventilating components to space the solar roof tile from the roof deck, and provide ventilation to the solar roof tile, for reduced operating temperatures and improved efficiency in electricity generation.

One illustrative embodiment of a tile & support structure may be configured to secure the position of a tile in a generally vertical configuration, such as the riser of a step, as a border around a portion of a deck, a building and/or wall façade, ventilated façade, interior or exterior wall covering, or other generally vertical surface. The support structure may be formed with a spine having at least one rail extending outward from a distal end thereof. The spine and rail(s) may be configured to secure one or more tiles, which tiles may be formed with a groove on at least one edge thereof, and wherein one or more rails may be positioned within the groove.

In one aspect of a tile and support structure, a support structure may be engaged with a top portion of a pedestal. The support structure may be formed with a generally vertical spine having at least one rail extending outward from a distal end thereof. The spine and rail(s) may be configured to secure one or more tiles, which tiles may be formed with a groove on at least one edge thereof, and wherein one or more rails may be positioned within the groove.

In one embodiment of a tile and support structure, the tile and support structure may be configured to engage a tile such that the tile is oriented in a generally vertical plane. The support structure may include a riser tile engaged with both an upper riser support structure and a lower riser support structure.

A system including a plurality of photovoltaic shingles installed on a roof deck, a plurality of roofing shingles, such as asphalt shingles, installed on the roof deck, and a plurality of step flaps. One end of the roofing shingle overlays a first side of a corresponding one of the step flaps, and one end of photovoltaic shingle overlays a second side of the corresponding one of the step flaps.

A system for mounting glass roof tiles on a roof construction includes a roof batten, an S-shaped bracket defining a first U-shaped portion and a second U-shaped portion, a sealing plate and two glass roof tiles arranged side by side along a first longitudinal direction defined by the roof batten. The first U-shaped portion of the bracket is clamped onto the roof batten and retained in relation thereto solely by means of friction and gravity. An end portion of the sealing plate and a lower end portion of each of the glass roof tiles are snugly fit into the second U-shaped portion of the bracket. The glass roof tiles can be mounted on the roof construction in an easy and fast manner without the use of fastening means or tools.

In one aspect of a reinforced tile, the reinforced tile may be configured for use with a support structure that may be engaged with a top portion of a pedestal. The reinforced tile may be configured with a substrate adhered to a back side of a tile, and the substrate may be comprised of a fiberglass material A groove may he formed along at least one edge of the reinforced tile, and the groove may be positioned at the interface of the tile and substrate. The support structure may be formed with a generally vertical spine having at least one rail extending outward from a distal end thereof. The spine and rail(s) may he configured to secure one or more reinforced tiles, wherein one or more rails may be positioned within a groove formed in the reinforced tile.

In one aspect of a reinforced tile, the reinforced tile may be configured for use with a support structure that may be engaged with a top portion of a pedestal. The reinforced tile may be configured with a substrate adhered to a back side of a tile, and the substrate may be comprised of a fiberglass material. A groove may be formed along at least one edge of the reinforced tile, and the groove may be positioned at the interface of the tile and substrate. The support structure may be formed with a generally vertical spine having at least one rail extending outward from a distal end thereof. The spine and rail(s) may be configured to secure one or more reinforced tiles, wherein one or more rails may be positioned within a groove formed in the reinforced tile.

A system for mounting glass roof tiles on a roof construction includes a roof batten, an S-shaped bracket defining a first U-shaped portion and a second U-shaped portion, a sealing plate and two glass roof tiles arranged side by side along a first longitudinal direction defined by the roof batten. The first U-shaped portion of the bracket is clamped onto the roof batten and retained in relation thereto solely by means of friction and gravity. An end portion of the sealing plate and a lower end portion of each of the glass roof tiles are snugly fit into the second U-shaped portion of the bracket. The glass roof tiles can be mounted on the roof construction in an easy and fast manner without the use of fastening means or tools.