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.

A roof integrated photovoltaic (RIPV) system has a plurality of solar tiles that are mounted to a roof. The tiles may be mounted using a metal batten and hanger system or some other attachment system. Each tile has an electrical edge junction extending rearwardly from its top edge. The edge junction is coextensive with or contains the plane of the solar tile and may be slightly thicker than the solar tile. Sockets on opposed ends of the edge junction receive plugs of electrical cables for interconnecting the array of solar tiles together electrically. The edge junctions provide for a low profile installation that mimics the appearance of a traditional roofing tile such as a slate tile. The slightly thicker edge junctions may raise solar tiles of one course above the surfaces of solar tiles of a next lower course to provide ventilation for the RIPV array and to provide accommodating space for system wiring.

A shingle assembly for installation on a roof structure is provided. The shingle assembly can include an insulative substrate, a surface sheet coupled to and extending across a substantial portion of the insulative substrate, and a hook-and-loop fastening system comprising a hook portion and a loop portion. The hook portion or the loop portion can be coupled to and extend along the insulative substrate adjacent the surface sheet. The other of the hook portion or the loop portion can be coupled to and extend along the surface sheet. The hook portion can be configured to mate with a loop portion of a first adjoining shingle assembly and the loop portion can be configured to mate with a hook portion of a second adjoining shingle assembly.

A system includes a plurality of photovoltaic modules, each having a mat with an edge and a spacer with an edge, the edge of the mat being attached to the edge of the spacer. The spacer includes a plurality of support members and a solar module mounted to the support members. Each of the support members includes a ledge. The solar module and the ledge form a space therebetween. The space is sized and shaped to receive an edge of a solar module of another of the photovoltaic modules. The spacer of one of the photovoltaic modules overlays the mat of another of the photovoltaic modules.

A metal shingle having a body with left, right, top and bottom parts. The body is substantially planar and rectangular and has a front, a rear, left and right sides, a top and a bottom. The left and right parts extend from the left and right side respectively. One of the left and right parts is folded over the front and the other is folded over the bottom. The top and bottom parts extend from the top and bottom respectively. One of the top and bottom parts is folded over the front and the other is folded over the bottom. In use, the shingles are positioned in each of side-to-side and top-to-bottom abutting relation so that adjacent sides are interlocked. The body defining a hollow adjacent to one of the interlocking top and bottom parts.

A system includes a plurality of photovoltaic modules, each having a mat with an edge and a spacer with an edge, the edge of the mat being attached to the edge of the spacer. The spacer includes a plurality of support members and a solar module mounted to the support members. Each of the support members includes a ledge. The solar module and the ledge form a space therebetween. The space is sized and shaped to receive an edge of a solar module of another of the photovoltaic modules. The spacer of one of the photovoltaic modules overlays the mat of another of the photovoltaic modules.

A metal shingle having a body with left, right, top and bottom parts. The body is substantially planar and rectangular and has a front, a rear, left and right sides, a top and a bottom. The left and right parts extend from the left and right side respectively. One of the left and right parts is folded over the front and the other is folded over the bottom. The top and bottom parts extend from the top and bottom respectively. One of the top and bottom parts is folded over the front and the other is folded over the bottom. In use, the shingles are positioned in each of side-to-side and top-to-bottom abutting relation so that adjacent sides are interlocked. The body defining a hollow adjacent to one of the interlocking top and bottom parts.

In various embodiments, a flashing system may comprise a flashing having a uniform top surface having at least one of a flat profile, an S profile, and a W profile. The flashing system may further include a hook capable of being attached to the decking of a roof and disposed beneath the flashing. The flashing may be customizable by a user in the field to adjust a slot in the flashing to install the flashing on the hook.

An improved roofing system including a batten assembly comprising support battens and clips. The clips are made of metal wire having one portion shaped to retain roof outer coverings and a further portion shaped to secure the clip to the batten by spring torsion force of part of the clip acting against the batten.