The Construction Industry Council has put out a report on some of the latest advances in ‘eco-electricity’, and it seems likely that some of them will drive demand for rooftop walkovers in the years to come.
Walkovers serve several purposes, ranging from acting as demarcation systems to prevent foot access to weak parts of the roof, to putting in place a flat walking platform on a pitched or otherwise uneven roof surface.
For example, where rooftops are fitted with photovoltaic solar panels, it can be beneficial to angle these towards the sun, creating a surface that is both delicate and is not flat.
Walkovers offer a solution, and using an open metal grid structure means sunlight can still reach solar panels beneath them.
And it’s not just photovoltaic panels that may need a delicate touch – the CIC report also singles out electrochromic glass as an important development.
This is the technical name for ‘smart glass’, which can be tinted or turned totally opaque when an electric current passes through it – allowing it to be used for skylights that can be adjusted to let different amounts of light and heat through.
Walkovers can provide safe access to these for cleaning and other maintenance, while protecting them against damage, and safeguarding maintenance workers against the risk of falling through these weaker parts of the roof.