A State of the Industry: Solar Power and Metal Roofs

By Adam Cabrera. 

Learn the 'language' of solar, the challenges it poses in the transition to sustainable construction and how solar on metal roofs make a perfect pairing. 

In the new Roofing Road Trips episode, Heidi J. Ellsworth meets Rob Haddock from S-5!® as they discuss the state of the industry. During their talk they share what's been going on in the world of metal construction and particularly how solar technology paired with modern metal roofing offers an affordable yet sustainable option for future building construction.  

Solar power in the metal roofing sector has been booming over the past few years, and Rob, the founder and CEO of S-5!, believes that the trend will only continue to grow. S-5!, a company specializing in metal roof attachments, has been at the forefront of this industry change, providing innovative solutions for attaching solar panels to metal roofs. 

"I see a greater number of roofing contractors really looking into offering solar. And it makes sense, but it's a difficult transition because in the solar industry it's a whole different language," says Rob. 

One significant problem Rob also notes is the longevity of roofing materials in relation to solar panels. He explains, "On almost all other roof types, a building owner's going to be facing roof replacement before the life of his solar has expired. And that really destroys the financial proforma of that solar system." This is where metal roofing comes in as Rob points out that metal is the only roof type that lasts longer than the solar panels, making it the perfect pairing. 

Despite the overall slowdown in the construction industry, Rob confirms that the first two quarters of 2023 showed positive growth in metal construction. The rise of solar power installations on rooftops seems to be a driving factor for this growth. According to Rob, "Today [solar power] makes financial sense. I call myself an environmental capitalist." 

Rob encourages roofing contractors to adapt and embrace these industry changes. The combination of solar power and metal roofing offers a sustainable and financially viable solution for the future of the industry. Rob says, "It's the future. It's where we're going. We're self-sustaining."  

Listen to the podcast to learn more about the state of the industry and what S-5! is doing to advance solar technology on metal roofs.