In-Roof Solar PV Tiles and BIPV Standards Guide UK

Key Takeaways

• Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) and in-roof solar tiles replace traditional roof coverings to provide clean electricity and weatherproofing.
• Installations must meet thermal efficiency and carbon reduction benchmarks under Approved Document L of the Building Regulations.
• Pairing in-roof solar with low-carbon heat pumps creates self-powered heating systems compliant with national net-zero building standards.
• Under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, homeowners and commercial premises can receive £7,500 towards air source or ground source heat pumps.
• Grants are limited to 45kWth for individual systems, restricted to one grant per property across England and Wales.
• Hybrid combinations of gas boilers with heat pumps are excluded from grant support.

Building Regulations Part L: In-Roof Integration

In-roof solar systems sit flush with surrounding slates or tiles, serving as the outer roof envelope:

• Statutory Energy Benchmarking: Building regulation in England setting standards for the energy performance of new and existing buildings.
• Housing Regulations: Governed by Approved Document L, Conservation of fuel and power, Volume 1: Dwellings, 2021 edition incorporating 2023 amendments.
• In-roof solar tiles contribute zero-carbon electricity to dwelling energy performance models, offsetting grid dependence for heating and hot water.

Low-Carbon Heat Integration: Boiler Upgrade Scheme

Property owners combining architectural solar with electric heating can access capital funding:

• Grant Intent: Through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, you could get a grant to cover part of the cost of replacing fossil fuel heating systems with a heat pump or biomass boiler.
• Commercial and Domestic Scope: You can use the grant to replace a heating system in your home or a building used for your business.
• Jurisdictional Boundary: This scheme is open to people in England and Wales.
• Grant Restriction: You can get one grant per property.

Available Funding Bands and Technical Rules

Eligible low-carbon heating technologies receive targeted grant vouchers:

• Air Source Heat Pumps: Delivers £7,500 towards an air source heat pump (sometimes called an air-to-water heat pump).
• Ground Source Heat Pumps: Allocates £7,500 towards a ground source heat pump (including water source heat pumps and those on shared ground loops).
• Biomass Equipment: Provides £5,000 towards a biomass boiler.
• Air-to-Air Equipment: Provides £2,500 towards an air-to-air heat pump.
• Capacity Limit: The maximum capacity is 45kWth for individual systems.
• Excluded Hybrids: You cannot get a grant for a hybrid heat pump system (for example a combination of gas boiler and air source heat pump).