The Fengyang Drum Tower incident serves as a wake-up call! See how photovoltaic tiles use technology to strengthen roof safety.

On May 19, news of a large number of tiles falling from the Fengyang Drum Tower topped the hot search list. Video footage shows a large number of tiles cascading down from the top of the drum tower, accompanied by a large amount of dust. Fortunately, according to the official announcement, there were no casualties. This incident is not only a serious question about building safety, but also makes more people reflect on how to use modern technology to avoid the risks of traditional construction methods?

Traditional roof tiles hide hidden dangers of loosening and falling due to improper handling of tile hanging strips and omissions in basic construction. Upon closer examination, the reasons for the fall of traditional tiles are mainly the following:

1. Unreasonable construction node design: Especially when traditional tiles use modern waterproofing processes such as SBS modified asphalt waterproof membranes. When low-quality SBS membranes are used, the roughness of the SBS surface and the bonding force of the tiles are significantly reduced. In summer, high temperatures can cause softening and displacement, while in winter, low temperatures cause hardening and brittleness, further separating from the traditional tiles.

2. Hidden dangers from later construction: Traditional tiles are mostly fixed with iron nails or mortar. If the later construction is not carried out according to standards, such as using inferior materials, improper treatment of the base layer, or a deviation in the leveling layer flatness >5mm, etc., the house is likely to experience tile falling and water leakage problems after being put into use.

In the face of the construction difficulties and potential hidden dangers of traditional tiles, photovoltaic tiles, from design concept to installation process, take "green safety" as the core, providing a new modern solution for building safety. Compared with traditional tiles, photovoltaic tiles not only strictly abide by relevant standards during installation and construction, but also have strong resistance to extreme weather!

In terms of construction and installation, unlike the simple splicing of traditional tiles, taking Longyan Yi tiles as an example, the structure consists of two (or three) layers of 3.2mm laminated glass, with full aluminum alloy waterproof edges around the glass. During installation, the photovoltaic tiles are connected by special fasteners up, down, left, and right, forming a whole roof. Each tile has four fixing points using stainless steel screws on the special tile strips, and the tile strips are fixed downwards to the roof structure layer. The multi-point fixing system significantly improves its wind resistance.

In windy weather, traditional tiles may be blown away, and heavy objects may cause them to fall. On the day the Fengyang Drum Tower tiles fell, the temperature difference was 20℃, and there was strong wind. The tiles on one side fell first, causing a large-scale detachment of roof tiles. Photovoltaic tiles, however, take various challenges into account from the design stage, remaining stable even in strong winds, heavy rain, and large hail.

Taking Longyan Yi tiles as an example, tested by a third-party professional institution, Yi tiles have strong wind resistance and can withstand a 15-level typhoon. Under the strict standards of GB/T 36584-2018 "Test Methods for Roof Tiles", clause 5.8, the testing institution applied wind speeds of 97km/h (level 8), 147km/h (level 13), and 177km/h (level 15) to the photovoltaic tile products, each for 2 hours. After a total of 6 hours of testing, the photovoltaic tiles on the test board showed no displacement, cracking, or detachment, the special fixing fasteners remained intact, and the surface of the photovoltaic tiles had no scratches, the backplane circuit connection was normal, and the power generation function was unaffected.

Wind Resistance Test Sample Installation Diagram © Longyan Energy

In addition, Yi tiles are also unafraid of hail impact. Using high-strength tempered glass as the panel, they can withstand the vertical impact of 25mm diameter hail and can easily cope with heavy rain, with excellent waterproof capabilities. According to GB/T 36584-2018 "Test Methods for Roof Tiles", clause 5.9, the testing institution conducted a simulated rain test on the photovoltaic tiles with a water distribution intensity of 6L/min. The results showed that there were no water droplets or stains on the back of the photovoltaic tiles. During actual construction, the installation of water strips allows rainwater to quickly converge, and sealing with glue around the photovoltaic tiles completely isolates the water seepage path, further improving the overall waterproof performance of the photovoltaic tile roof.

Simulated Rain Test Sample Installation Diagram © Longyan Energy

Real-world application cases are the best proof. The Longshan Academy zero-carbon building in Shaoxing City uses 1896 cadmium telluride Yi tiles. The back ventilation layer formed by the photovoltaic tile slope lap and the insulation layer work together to create a highly efficient thermal system: on the one hand, the slope lap arrangement increases the back ventilation area, and the insulation rock wool is seamlessly laid between the main and secondary purlins, significantly improving the building's insulation performance. On the other hand, by using a sand-surface high-polymer anti-nail penetration strong self-adhesive membrane and sealing the waterproof breathable membrane, while ensuring waterproofing, it also allows the water vapor inside the house to be discharged, forming a triple protection mechanism of waterproofing, exhaust, and drying, ensuring that the roof insulation system is dry and effective.

From the "fragility" of traditional tiles to the "strength" of photovoltaic tiles, this is not only an iterative upgrade of building materials but also a vivid embodiment of technology empowering building safety. Photovoltaic tiles fundamentally eliminate the structural risks and construction hidden dangers of traditional tiles, providing a "double insurance" for roof safety with the power of technology. Choosing photovoltaic tiles is not only choosing a way to obtain green energy but also choosing a long-term and stable safety commitment for buildings. Let technology empower buildings, and use safer and more reliable roof solutions to protect building safety.