To support a roof upgrade and help cut reliance on grid electricity, Princess of Wales Court, an independent living community in Swansea, has selected a complete solution comprising Marley SolarTile and Mendip concrete roof tiles.
The project, part of a programme supported by the Welsh Government’s Optimised Retrofit Programme (ORP) funding, involved the stripping and retiling of multiple roofs at the development, which is managed by non-profit registered social landlord Caredig.
For Caredig, integrating solar photovoltaic (PV) panels with a planned roof refurbishment provided an opportunity to upgrade the existing housing stock while also supporting carbon reduction targets.
The homes would remain occupied throughout the works, meaning the project needed to be delivered efficiently while minimising disruption for residents.
With Marley appointed as the roofing system provider, the project team benefited from early engagement and technical support from specification through to installation. Marley developed the roof specification and ensured the proposed solution was suitable for the project requirements.
This included a site meeting and visual survey, followed by development of an NBS specification and solar PV array design, and the provision of a full component list extending to ridge, fascia and eaves systems.
Crucially, Marley provided guidance on combining SolarTile - a roof-integrated photovoltaic system pairing renewable energy generation with the performance and appearance of a traditional tiled roof - with the rest of the roof design, ensuring a co-ordinated approach.
SureServe Energy Service Wales Ltd carried out the roofing work including the installation of 502 Marley SolarTile panels, each rated at 410W, alongside Marley’s Mendip interlocking concrete roof tile in Smooth Brown.
Collaboration throughout the process
Close collaboration between SureServe, Caredig and Marley ensured smooth progress, with a co-ordinated roof system specification and ongoing communication throughout the project helping to overcome the challenges of delivering refurbishment works to occupied homes.
Tomas Davies, Trainee Project Officer at Caredig, explained: “We were keen to explore a fully integrated photovoltaic solution that could be delivered as part of a complete roof system. Having specified Marley as the roofing system provider, we were particularly interested in their integrated PV offering to ensure a cohesive, high-performing solution.”
Chris Marshall, Marley's regional sales director for the south-west, continued: “Marley SolarTile brings together our roofing knowledge and PV expertise, creating a product that performs and perfectly complements our roof systems. Because we were involved from the earliest stages of the project, we were able to help Caredig develop a specification that addressed the scheme’s technical requirements while delivering reliable roof performance and renewable energy generation.
“This required a high level of co-ordination and communication from SureServe Wales and the wider project team at Caredig to minimise disruption to residents while ensuring works could proceed safely and efficiently,” Tomas explained.
As an integrated solar panel, Marley SolarTile is installed as part of the roof covering, replacing traditional roof tiles to create a low-profile appearance. By combining the roof covering and PV installation, roof-integrated solar PV simplifies installation and improves project efficiency without compromising roof aesthetics or performance.
Benefits over traditional systems
The integrated design of Marley SolarTile also offers practical benefits over traditional on-roof PV systems. Because the tiles sit flush with the roof covering, there is less potential for debris accumulation and bird activity, helping to minimise maintenance requirements. The system has also been designed to withstand local wind pressures.
Tomas noted: “The Marley team worked closely with Caredig to ensure the system met both our technical requirements and the practical constraints of the project. This early collaboration gave us confidence that the integrated roofing and PV solution would perform as intended and could be delivered efficiently on site.”
He concluded: “Overall, the decision to specify Marley as the system provider, combined with early-stage support, strong collaboration with Caredig and effective delivery by SureServe Wales, has resulted in the successful delivery of an integrated roofing and PV solution.”
The Princess of Wales Court refurbishment demonstrates how a roof renewal project can maintain long-term performance and weather resistance in existing housing stock, while providing an opportunity to integrate renewable energy generation into social housing.
For more information, visit Marley’s website.
