Australian designer, James Treble has three decades of knowledge and experience in the building, real estate and interior design industries. He shares his expertise as a guest presenter and subject matter expert on the TV lifestyle show, “Open Homes Australia.” He was also
a regular guest on the award-winning lifestyle show, “The Living Room” as an interior design expert, and has his own YouTube Channel, “Designer James Treble” where he is launching his own series called “James Bought a House.” Treble and his partner, Sandro purchased a 1970s home in Umina Beach, a one-hour drive north of Sydney. Although their initial intent was to renovate the home and place it back on the rental market, as they walked through, they recognized the building as solid and full of potential. The property is located just minutes away from beautiful beaches, and the area is renowned for its increasing property values, so they decided to keep it and make it the beach retreat they have always wanted. However, it needed a lot of work—everything from floor-plan changes, a kitchen, new bathrooms, a façade update, and a new roof. As an ambassador for Australia’s leading environmental organization, Planet Ark, Treble firmly believes in sensible purchasing, recycling, and creative re-purposing. He wanted
to utilize the most environmentally friendly and technologically advanced products and solutions available on the market.
Every aspect of the home had something that needed to be repaired or renovated, including a new roof The owner chose a standing seam metal roof for its durability and long-term sustainability. He also wanted to add rooftop solar to supplement the home’s power needs and lower his carbon footprint; standing seam metal made the solar attachment “seamless.” A top priority for him was an orderly, low-profile aesthetic solar mounting solution that would complement the look of his roof. The solar installer was
also in favor of a low-profile system as it would reduce the wind uplift effects on the array. Given the location of the property by the sea, another concern was the salt air and salt spray, which accelerate corrosion, so utilizing quality construction materials that could withstand such environmental conditions for the long term was of utmost importance.
The owner chose the S-5! PVKIT® rail-less, solar mounting solution (powder
coated in black). The solar installer had first discovered U.S.-based S-5! at
an Australian energy trade show years before and reconnected with the team
again through distributor, No. 1 Roofing who recommended the system.
Featuring just three components, the PVKIT enabled solar installers to “lay &
play” solar panels directly onto the seams of the metal roof (penetration-free)
utilising S-5-STM clamps with tested, engineered attachment. The PVKIT’s
pre-assembled components considerably reduce installation time and cost
for photovoltaic (PV) mounting by eliminating the need for an elaborate
rail system, while also providing better load distribution into the roof and
substructure.
The PVKIT provided the precise low-profile, aesthetic solution the owner
desired. By directly attaching the PV to the seams of the roof, the S-5!
system also allowed for the maximum number of solar panels due to the
virtual limitless potential attachment points to choose from and infinite
flexible module placement and module density.
Additionally, on any project by the sea, an installer prefers to use
aluminium and stainless-steel components to combat corrosion and
the effects of salt air. S-5! uses non-corrosive materials made from
high-tensile aluminium that are salt-fog corrosion tested in accordance
with ASTM B 117 standards—providing the environmentally friendly,
durable, weather-resistant product the owner sought.
The homeowner was able to achieve the quality look he wanted with an aesthetically pleasing, low-profile rooftop solar mounting solution that would last the life of the roof, endure the effects of salt air for the long term, and offset his power usage.
The pre-assembled PVKIT® used in rail-less solar PV mounting can save you in logistics and installation time. It is compatible with all S-5! clamps and most brackets. It fits all 30-46 mm module frames and offers multiple slots for wire management.]
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.
