Skip to main content

Solar and Snow Solutions Offer Energy Savings and Avalanche Safety

Project at a Glance

“We’ve taken a close look at all the competitors’ knockoffs, and they do not compare in quality or even in cost. S-5! has been creating innovative solutions for metal roofs far longer than anyone else, and their expertise is unmatched. We just won’t use anything else on a metal roof.” 

-Doug Claxton, The Solar Revolution

The Situation & Results

The Calcaire House is a 15,000-square-foot modern Colorado single-family residential compound consisting of five interconnected buildings. Floor-to-ceiling glass connects the interior space to the exterior landscape, offering spectacular views of the Boulder Flatirons. A combination of exposed timber, stone and steel structural design elements, and exposed custom roof trusses complement the gabled standing seam metal roof.

The Solar Revolution was charged with installing more than 60 kilowatts of solar dispersed over multiple rooftops. Boulder Roofing installed both standing seam metal and TPO roof systems.

Aesthetically-Pleasing, Code-Compliant and Cost-Effective

The City of Boulder has strict energy codes in place and requires new construction to meet a
certain level of efficiency. The goal is to have a net-zero home, and the only way for a larger
home to achieve this is with solar. The most optimal rooftops for solar were also the most visually prominent, and the homeowner was concerned about aesthetics.

Furthermore, this area is considered a high-wind area and would require a study to account for wind speeds as the solar installers could only rely on the roof itself and its attachment to the wood sheeting when attaching solar panels using S-5!’s zero-penetration system.
Another difficulty was finding a viable path to route the energy created by the solar panels back to the point of connection with the home’s distribution. The Solar Revolution ultimately found a viable path that was aesthetically-pleasing, code compliant and cost-effective.

S-5-PVKIT-2.0 | S-5! Metal Roofing

What Worked?

Installers utilized the S-5-PVKIT 2.0 to build the solar array. One team member started at ground level prepping S-5! MidGrabs and EdgeGrabs, while another prepared the solar modules by installing the power optimizers and managing the wires. Completing this work on the ground enabled the roof crew to focus on setting modules – minimizing their time in harnesses.

The team installed the modules starting with the bottom row and working up, with extra care taken in aligning the first row. This precision allowed for subsequent rows to drop into place on the MidGrabs.

S-5-PVKIT-2.0 | S-5! Metal Roofing

Long Term Outlook

Installers utilized the S-5-PVKIT 2.0 to build the solar array. One team member started at
ground level prepping S-5! MidGrabs and EdgeGrabs, while another prepared the solar modules by installing the power optimizers and managing the wires. Completing this work on the ground enabled the roof crew to focus on setting modules – minimizing their time in harnesses.

The team installed the modules starting with the bottom row and working up, with extra care
taken in aligning the first row. This precision allowed for subsequent rows to drop into place on the MidGrabs.

S-5! Products Used

ColorGard snow guards feature finish-matching that lasts the life of the roof because it is the same material as the roof. Easily install any time of the year; or retrofit the ColorGard system to an existing roof or incorporate it in the new roof design.

The S-5-S (“S” for snap-lock) is designed for most popular vertical snap-together profiles - typically with vertical dimensions of 1.5” (38 mm) and 1.75” (44 mm). Use the S for single-fold (angle-seam) horizontal profiles of 1” (25 mm) and 1.5” (38 mm) seam height dimensions and all similar seam types.

Learn More about ColorGard S-5-S Mini Clamp
TO TOP
Project Dashboard & Product Downloads

Configurator

Recent Snow Projects

Recent Solar Projects

Product Downloads