Summer '22

News
BOOST FOR SOLAR AS SOLAR
SKILLS LONDON EXPANDS
London’s fast-growing solar sector
has received a major boost from the
Mayor this spring with the launch
of a new online careers hub and
more financial help for new and
established solar businesses.
The online careers hub is a key part
of Solar Skills London, a skills and
training programme launched in
March 2021 by the Mayor of London
and Solar Energy UK, the leading
industry body for solar energy and
storage.
Solar Skills London has received
£130,000 from City Hall to create
more green jobs in the solar energy
sector which will help towards the
Mayor’s commitment to achieve
1.5GW of rooftop solar PV by 2030,
reducing the capital’s reliance on
fossil fuels. It will also support his
ambition for London to become a
net zero carbon city by the end of
the decade.
The online careers hub aims to help
newcomers map out career paths
in the solar and renewable energy
industries. It features job profiles,
a one-stop shop of the various
industry standards and qualifications,
as well as a comprehensive database
of training courses and colleges.
The next phase of Solar Skills London
will also see MCS (Microgeneration
Certification Scheme) join the
initiative as a delivery partner.
WALLBARN: “EVALUATING THE FIRE PERFORMANCE OF LIVING
ROOFS HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT”
Modular green roof specialist
Wallbarn says the fire performance
of green roofs is an increasingly
important consideration during the
design and specification process.
The company says it is finding
that for an increasing number of
its clients, the issue is given equal
weight alongside the established key
considerations of structural loadbearing
capability and the type of
green roof required.
“Evaluating the fire performance of
living roofs has become increasingly
important in the post-Grenfell years
as the fire safety of buildings, their
components, assembly, construction
methods and management take
centre stage,” explained Wallbarn
Director Julian Thurbin. “It is a
complex issue influenced by BRE
requirements, the soon to be updated
Approved Document B and updated
guidance from the Green Roof
Organisation (GRO).”
physically test it. Wallbarn used an
independent fire testing authority
to physically test its M-Tray modular
green roof system, so says it is
well placed to advise specifiers and
installation specialists.
M-Tray was tested to CEN/TS
1187, achieving a classification of
B ROOF t(4) and an EXAP Report
conforming with CEN/TS 16459:2019.
Wallbarn believes it is the first
UK-manufactured green roof to
achieve this industry standard, and
furthermore, says its growing medium
is 100mm thick and contains less
than 50% organic content, achieving
compliance to BS 8616:2019.
“Achieving EXAP Report conformity is
incredibly important because it allows
M-Tray to be used in an extended
range of applications without the
requirement to test individual
construction elements when changing
a specification, for example,”
concluded Julian.
Solar installation –
image courtesy of Marley
Wallbarn says although a number
of assumptions on organic content
and substrate depths are often
relied upon, the best way to find out
if a green roof is safe for fire is to
Wallbarn has produced a white
paper outlining fire performance
considerations when specifying green
roofs. To request a copy e-mail:
info@wallbarn.com
8 GREENSCAPE SUMMER 2022 • www.greenscapemag.co.uk