The Rooflight Association

Drawing on insights found in our latest white paper - read our article in the latest issue of ADF - Architects' Datafile - we talk directly to architects, designers and specifiers about the importance of daylighting in architectural design. Thank you ADF for the opportunity 👏 #rooflights #daylighting #architects

Our Chair, Mark Wilcox is with the LRWA today delivering the rooflight training module to its SAP candidates 🗣️.   The specialist applied-skills programme (SAP) is a fully-funded 18-month training programme for those who are new to the industry or who have very little experience and is seen as the equivalent to an apprenticeship for specialist sectors.   The candidates will complete classroom-based training on ‘Rooflights, Maintenance and Waterproofing’ 👏. We wish them luck and hope they enjoy learning more about the rooflight industry! - - #rooflights #training #lrwa #roofing #roofingcontractors #roofers #liquidroofing CITB

The Rooflight Association cannot condone or support the use of permanently fixed rooflight covers and framed wire mesh systems. Download our Rooflighting Safety Bulletin 2025/1 to understand more: https://lnkd.in/eug7JrZm Why are we tackling this subject now? The increased demand for roof-mounted solar PV panel systems is driving demand for these systems for both retrofit and new build projects which are being supplied with the best intention of improving the safety of roofs.     ❗️However, site inspection reports now commonly show these systems installed over rooflights have negatively impacted the original roof and rooflight installation by way of new unsealed penetrations, poorly inserted fasteners, surface abrasion etc. which create leaks, invalidate service life guarantees and potentially compromise the non-fragility classification of the roof assembly.  There are also anecdotal reports of these products being used as platforms for the temporary storage of tools and materials, thereby further risking damage to the underlying rooflights. ⚠️ We, therefore, urge roofing contractors and rooflight installers working on large-span metal clad industrial, commercial and storage buildings, predominantly, to study the Safety Bulletin and share it with current and prospective customers. This guidance relates to all in-plane rooflights. DOWNLOAD: Rooflighting Safety Bulletin 2025/1: https://lnkd.in/eug7JrZm The Safety Bulletin was produced collaboratively with NFRC and The Advisory Committee for Roofsafety (ACR). - - #rooflights #rooflighting #daylighting #rooflightcovers #rooflight #health #safety #roofing #roofers #roofingcontractors #installers #ukconstruction #commercial #industrial #roofs #solar #solarpanels #pvpanels #pvcells

Who is our NEW Rooflighting Safety Bulletin 2025/1 aimed at? ➡️ Roofing contractors and rooflight installers working on large-span metal clad industrial, commercial and storage buildings, predominantly, and relates to all in-plane rooflights. How are they affected by the issues raised? ☎️ In the short-term, roofing contractors will be impacted by call backs to defects not of their making. Long-term, building owners or tenants will likely suffer from poorer energy performing buildings and roofs and/or rooflights with faults not covered by any guarantee or warranty. So… 🗣️ We are urging roofing contractors and rooflight manufacturers and installers to study the safety issues and technical reasons which are fully explained in Rooflighting Safety Bulletin 2025/1, and to share these with current and prospective customers to inform better decision-making. So too, the message that roofs with non-fragile rooflights and PV panels can work in perfect harmony without the need for rooflight covers.   ⚠️ For more details, guidance and a comprehensive overview of the key issues - DOWNLOAD now: https://lnkd.in/eug7JrZm The Safety Bulletin was produced collaboratively with NFRC and The Advisory Committee for Roofsafety (ACR). - - #rooflights #rooflight #daylighting #rooflightcovers #roofing #commercial #industrial #storagebuildings #roofingcontractors #roofers #safety #healthandsafety

Following on from our previous post which outlined the key issues with Rooflight Covers and Permanent Wire Mesh Systems, let’s look at our RECOMMENDATIONS: ➡️ Rather than install these permanent devices, we recommend the use of temporary safety systems when any works are being carried out in the proximity of rooflights, or the replacement of old rooflights to best ensure that the rooflights are safe and non-fragile.   ➡️ In new build applications, new rooflights correctly specified and supplied by Rooflight Association members are tested to demonstrate non-fragile performance, therefore, these systems are of little benefit. ⚠️ For more details, guidance and a comprehensive overview of the key issues - DOWNLOAD Rooflighting Safety Bulletin 2025/1 now: https://lnkd.in/eug7JrZm Please share with your network to educate and raise awareness. The Safety Bulletin was produced collaboratively with NFRC and The Advisory Committee for Roofsafety (ACR). - - #rooflights #rooflightcovers #daylighting #safety #healthandsafety #ukconstruction #commercial #industrial #roofing

Here's a brief overview of the key issues highlighted in our NEW Safety Guidance on Rooflight Covers and Permanent Wire Mesh Systems: ❗️Unproven safety benefit: For many of the rooflight cover systems there appears to be a lack of validated long-term performance testing, inspection & certification criteria. ❗️Impact on Building Regulations compliance: Typical metal clad industrial, commercial and storage buildings have rooflight areas between 12 and 14% of the floor area. Accordingly, consideration should be given to the effective reduction in daylighting when any safety device is installed over the top. ❗️Increased building energy consumption and costs: When the effective available daylighting provision is reduced, the demands on artificial lighting increases. ❗️Damage to roofs and rooflights:  The installation of any safety or other devices should be by the use of suitable mounting systems not detrimental to any part of the roof system, and where appropriate, be approved by the roofing system manufacturer or other suitably competent person. ❗️Invalidation of product guarantees and installation warranties: Damage or consequential premature deterioration caused to any rooflight by the installation of any unrelated devices installed by third parties will invalidate any guarantees applicable to that product and therefore the liability for any remediation of the rooflights will transfer to the installer of any such device. The impact is far-reaching affecting building owners, landlords, tenants and building occupants. ➡️ ➡️ ➡️ For a comprehensive overview of the key issues and practical recommendations - DOWNLOAD now: https://lnkd.in/eug7JrZm Please share with your network to better inform decision-making. This guidance was produced collaboratively with NFRC and The Advisory Committee for Roofsafety (ACR). - - #rooflights #rooflighting #daylighting #rooflightcovers #safety #healthandsafety #guidance #buildingdesign #energysaving #commercial #industrial #roofing #roofingcontractors

🚨 NEW Safety Guidance on Rooflight Covers and Permanent Wire Mesh Systems now available. Our Rooflighting Safety Bulletin 2025/1 was produced collaboratively with the NFRC and The Advisory Committee for Roofsafety (ACR) in response to an increasing number of complaints received by members’ customers relating to these products.  ➡️ Key message: Permanently fixed rooflight covers and framed wire mesh systems are not subject to safety legislation, and impact on rooflight performance.  As such, The Rooflight Association cannot condone or support their use.   ❗️The document highlights concern around unregulated installation practices and misuse and explores the key issues, including: - unproven safety benefit - impact on Building Regulations compliance - increased building energy consumption and costs - damage to roofs and rooflights - invalidation of product guarantees and installation warranties ⚠️The guidance is most applicable to roofing contractors and rooflight installers working on large-span metal clad industrial, commercial and storage buildings, predominantly, and relates to all in-plane rooflights. DOWNLOAD: Rooflighting Safety Bulletin 2025/1: https://lnkd.in/eug7JrZm Please share with your network to help inform better decision-making. - - #rooflights #rooflighting #rooflightcovers #safetyguidance #safety #daylighting #daylight #roofing #industrial #commercial #roofingcontractors #rooflightinstallers #installers

In the second article taken from our series for Total Contractor Magazine, Chair of our Technical Committee, Paul Smith discusses lighting level recommendations and the latest daylight standards. 🗣️ The level of daylight for roof lit buildings is an inherent part of the building design. Because of the highly variable nature of daylight, a rooflight system is designed to deliver a likely occurrence of various daylight levels for a specified proportion of the day, averaged across the year, rather than a specific lux level as is the case with artificial lighting… Paul goes onto to explore: - The ‘new’ European CEN Standard for Daylight in Buildings (EN 17037 - Recommended daylight levels inc. Minimum, Medium and High levels of illuminance - WELL Building Standard 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/e6shS3jY ➡️ This article is based on key findings from ‘The Benefit of Rooflights for the Daylighting of Buildings’ white paper. Download now: https://lnkd.in/e6jUsA2t Reproduced with thanks to Total Contractor Magazine. Read the latest issue: https://lnkd.in/eJirNrZ 📸 credit: Brett Martin Daylight Systems - - #rooflighting #rooflights #daylighting #daylight #wellstandard #lightinglevels #commercial #industrial #storage #ukconstruction

Thank you, NFRC for the opportunity to present at last week’s Yorkshire and North East Technical Day 👏. Our representative, Matt C. from Filon Products Ltd gave a 30-minute presentation on Rooflight Safety which covered three key topics: - How to ensure occupant safety with flat glass rooflights - How to achieve non-fragility with appropriate GRP rooflight selection - How to use rooflight covers safely The 50+ attendees found the session beneficial and valued the authoritative guidance. 🗣️ NFRC: ”The Building Safety Act affects everyone in the supply chain, and events such as the Yorkshire and North East Technical Day are a vital source of guidance and insight for contractors to ensure they continue their development and upskill their employees in line with the Act. We thank all of our speakers for their time." Our presentation referenced three Technical Documents - each one is available free of charge from our website. These are valuable resources for those working on or in industries associated with rooflights, including #architects and #specifiers.  Take a look: https://lnkd.in/eXKSg4CU and search: NTD14, NTD03 / 2017, and Rooflighting Safety Bulletin 2025/1. 🚨 Guidance on ‘How to use rooflight covers safely’ is imminent. Stay tuned. - - #rooflights #rooflightsafety #rooflightcovers #flatglass #specification #productspecification #roofingcontractors #roofing #commercial #industrial

Last Thursday, we met for our Q3 Technical and General Meetings. The committee were joined by member representatives from Brett Martin Daylight Systems, Filon Products Ltd, Hambleside Danelaw, VELUX Commercial, Glazing Vision, The Standard Patent Glazing Company Limited and PLS Surveys Limited. It was a pleasure to welcome Michael Rae from new member company, Wilde Ltd. Alongside industry and product-related discussion, we received a presentation from Samuel Boswell from One Click LCA. Samuel spoke about how One Click LCA’s software can help members with life-cycle assessment (LCA), environmental product declarations (EPD), and low-carbon best practices. It was a topic which interested many of our members, some of whom are currently on this journey, and sparked plenty of conversation. Special thanks to our hosts, Brett Martin Ltd for the warm welcome and hospitality 🙏. We’d also like to thank all attendees (in person and on Teams) for their contribution and feedback. It’s invaluable for progress, innovation, and ensuring that our voice is heard 👏. ➡️ To find out more about The RA and discover how you can be a part of shaping the future of rooflights and daylighting in UK construction, then visit: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/edQQgV-u - - #rooflights #daylighting #ukconstruction