Installation of rooftop solar panels continues to be more common as an increasing number of property owners look to save on energy costs and improve their buildings’ sustainability profiles. Solar panels, however, are dark objects which can reach temperatures as high as 200 degrees Fahrenheit, leading to the risk that the roofing membrane could fail prematurely.

WAYNE, N.J. - Installation of rooftop solar panels continues to be more common as an increasing number of property owners look to save on energy costs and improve their buildings’ sustainability profiles. Solar panels, however, are dark objects which can reach temperatures as high as 200 degrees Fahrenheit, leading to the risk that the roofing membrane could fail prematurely.

GAF Materials Corporation, the largest roofing manufacturer in North America, has addressed this issue by developing EverGuard® Extreme™ TPO Single-Ply Roofing. The first TPO membrane designed with the use of building-integrated solar in mind, this new grade of EverGuard®TPO membrane is designed with higher reflectivity and heat resistance and can withstand conditions that far exceed even the most rigorous proposed ASTM standards.

Current ASTM testing is conducted at 240 degrees Fahrenheit and requires the roofing product to survive 28 days without changes in physical properties. GAF designed EverGuard® Extreme™ TPO to meet far more rigorous testing criteria. In fact, EverGuard® Extreme™ TPO can survive over 180 days at 280 degrees Fahrenheit before failure occurs – that’s six times the required performance at a temperature 40 degrees higher than the current standard requirements.

EverGuard® Extreme™ is designed to withstand the high temperatures that result from the use of flexible PV modules attached directly to its surface. It has survived accelerated weathering tests designed to simulate approximately 45 years of exposure to South Florida sun. Its long life means that rigid solar arrays (that don’t result in high temperatures) can be installed with confidence that the membrane life will go beyond the array warranty.

“We are extremely proud of this product,” states Andrew Romano, Senior Product Manager at GAF. “The characteristics our technologists have designed into this product takes TPO performance to new levels.”

In conventional roofing applications, the properties of EverGuard® Extreme™ TPO will reduce the risk of failures caused by spot heating due to solar convergence. This phenomenon occurs when highly reflective surfaces such as white parapet walls focus sunlight on the field of the roof.

EverGuard® Extreme™ TPO is currently available in white in both 60 and 80 mil thicknesses as smooth and fleeceback membranes.

For more information, visitwww.gaf.comor stop by booth 903.