Patent ID: 8511006

Claim:
A roofing arrangement including a building-integrated solar-panel roof element adapted to be fitted with a solar panel and integrated in a pitched roof, the roof element comprising: a generally-rectangular moulded polymer frame having a top edge, a bottom edge and two side edges defining therebetween a central rectangular through opening, the frame further having an outer face and an inner face, and the through opening extends through both the outer face and the inner face wherein: the side edges of the frame each have an integrally-moulded outside part in the foam of a generally U-shaped profile that is open in the direction of the frame's outer face and has at or towards its outside an upstanding longitudinal side wall, the top, bottom, and side edges of the frame have an inner periphery defining an integrally-moulded flared skirt that widens towards the inner face of the frame, the side walls extending along the respective side edge whereby adjacent side-by-side elements can be placed with their adjacent side walls in facing relationship, the top edge and the bottom edge of the frame are so configured that the elements can be placed on a pitched roof with the top edge of one element against the bottom edge of an adjacent element that is placed above and in extension of said one element, with these top and bottom edges overlapping or interengaging with one another, and each roof element is arranged so that when a plurality of the elements are integrated in a pitched roof with the side walls of adjacent side-by-side elements in facing relationship and with the top and bottom edges respectively of adjacent lower and upper elements overlapping or interengaging with one another, the elements can be mounted on the roof by means of fitting brackets engaging with the side walls of the elements, to form a generally planar solar panel array from which anyone of the elements can be dismounted and reinstalled without interfering with the in-place mounting of the other elements of the array; and a rectangular photovoltaic or solar thermal panel fitted in the frame by adhesive bonding of the edges of the panel to the inner periphery of the outside of the frame.