David Stagg, technical product specialist for water management specialists GRAF UK, argues the case for making rainwater harvesting as mandatory as solar panels.

Few utility authorities suffer quite the bad press that water ones do, and in some cases, it might be justified. But when it comes to realising the importance of re-using the most vital of natural resources, it is not necessarily just them the finger should be pointed at. Reports that the Future Homes Standard is going to mandate rooftop solar on all new-build homes from 2027 may have been welcomed by the solar industry, but housebuilders and developers are believed to have lobbied against it, preferring to make solar panels optional to factor in unsuitable roof pitches, orientation or overshading. This might help explain why only two fifths of new homes currently have solar systems fitted.

And it seems they – or the volume housebuilders at least – might be equally hesitant in these days of increasing costs and decreasing margins to embrace water reuse via rainwater harvesting, where the most common collection surface is the rooftop, unless there are Government grants or funding in place. Yet these, unlike water, are in plentiful supply.

In the south-east of England, there is less water per person than the desert states of Syria and Sudan. The region has just had its driest spring/summer since 1976, yet almost every rainfall record was broken in November 2024. What a difference to drinking water levels might have been made had naturebased solutions like rainwater harvesting been employed, which can save hundreds of thousands of litres over a year, reduce the risk of flooding and storm overflows by slowing surface water run-off reaching sewers, and reduce the need for new water infrastructure.

This was recognised in guidance from CIRIA’s (Construction Industry Research and Information Association) ‘Delivering better water management through the planning system’*1 which supports planning for water through the delivery of integrated water management. The guidance highlights that “an efficient approach is needed to manage how water is used, harvested and recycled within buildings and ….. innovative approaches involving rainwater harvesting and grey water recycling can significantly reduce volumes of both treated water to a site and wastewater entering the sewerage system.”

Local authorities in this region received more than 52,000 planning applications*2 for development, more than any other region, but English regions now at serious risk of water scarcity are now twice the number they were in 2007.

It is the housebuilders having to meet Water Neutrality requirements in some of these regions who are designing rainwater harvesting into their projects from scratch, which is more cost-effective than doing it retrospectively, but like solar panels, should realise a return on investment in terms of water cost savings within a few years. The storage tank is usually the costliest part of a rainwater harvesting system.

While they are sized based to hold around 18 days average rainfall, tank sizes range from small 1,500-litre capacity domestic tanks, through to large-scale tanks which can hold around 52,000 litres. Further storage capacity can be provided through linking tanks together or through engineered ponds, particularly as part of an integrated water management approach.

Water neutrality is now forefront with some water companies, as seen at some of their “Developer Days”, and rainwater harvesting is a major component of this. Using recycled rainwater for garden irrigation, jet washing, toilet flushing (24% of daily personal use) and washing machines (18%) can save huge volumes of drinking water – at least 50% and even up to 80%.

Thames Water’s environmental incentives for developers include £1,000 grants per property towards rainwater harvesting and greywater re-use that saves at least 50 litres per property per day of the 275 litres of water that the average new home uses. Southern Water offers developers the largest incentives on the market, up to £1,750 per plot, to reduce, re-use and neutralise water, and if motivation like that works, will save up to 100 litres per person at a cost to the developer of £10 per property*3. Some 65% of people say that being near water is their favourite part of nature and improves their mental wellbeing*4, yet water is more valuable than gold in places like Africa. Far from being a feel-good factor, water will become a bargaining tool at least, a reason for war at worse, in the next decade or so.

And for those who think you can’t have both – solar panels and rainwater harvesting – you can. Solar panels do not affect the sizing of a rainwater harvesting system based on roof area, or on rainwater yield from the roof. Now that would be a mandate!

For more information visit www.rdr.link/dbg031

* 1 CIRIA 2019
* 2 The Planner, May 2021
* 3 Ricardo Study, 2020
* 4 Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust

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PHPD talks to Catnic about its latest launch, Solarseam, a bonded integrated solar solution that’s easy on the eye.

Just last month the Government announced that the long-awaited Future Homes Standard 2025 would finally be launching this Autumn, with mandatory new build solar panel installations playing a part. While this announcement has come as a welcome confirmation to many, there are those out there who still aren’t entirely convinced by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband’s “rooftop revolution” and what it will mean for rooftop aesthetics across the country.

Indeed, the bulky, unnatural look of proud-mounted solar panels has consistently remained one of the less desirable aspects of harvesting our local star. Thankfully, and with perfect timing, Catnic has come up with a nifty solution that’ll put any visual worries to bed.

The solution

Enter the SolarSeam; an innovative photovoltaic (PV) solution for standing seam roofs that has been engineered to deliver exceptional performance without compromising on aesthetics. The solution consists of a flexible solar laminate bonded to the popular Catnic Urban standing seam roofing panel, delivering efficient renewable energy without the traditionally highly visible frames. Because of this, and as an added bonus, the panels can be installed on roof pitches down to five degrees for true design flexibility. The solution is supplied as a complete kit of parts too, including the panels, flashings and fixings, making it simple to order and straightforward to install.

With increasing pressure to deliver more and more new homes and at a faster rate (if we’re ever to reach that 1.5 million target), this single-source, hassle-free quality makes for a welcome added bonus.

The technology

Catnic SolarSeam uses Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) solar technology. The MCS Certified low-profile CIGS cells are made up of multiple diodes, meaning they have excellent ambient light performance, and unlike traditional monocrystalline panels, have high shade tolerance. This means that more energy is captured, even on cloudy days, and homeowners are not restricted to installation on south facing roofs. In fact, with monocrystalline panels shading reduces energy production by as much as 80%, while for CIGS panels it is as little as 10%. CIGS cells are also lighter, more flexible and more resistant to damage, cracking and physical impacts.

It also provides further sustainability benefits as the SolarSeam’s CIGS cells are manufactured in the UK and require significantly less energy to produce compared with monocrystalline products for a lower carbon footprint. Additionally, the Catnic Urban panel that the cells are bonded to, is also made in the UK and has BES 6001 Responsible Sourcing certification and a BRE A+ rating, demonstrating it has the lowest overall environmental impact. All this makes Catnic SolarSeam ideal for environmentally conscious customers. With fire performance an essential consideration, the solar panel, when bonded to a Catnic Urban panel, has been tested in accordance with CEN/TS 1187-4 and classified as BROOF(t4) for external fire performance, the highest rating possible, with minimal flame spread and no fire penetration for at least 60 minutes.

For the homeowner, SolarSeam is supplied with the peace of mind of multiple guarantees. There is a 25-year Confidex® Home Guarantee on the Catnic Urban roof substrate as well as a 10-year solar product guarantee. The performance of the solar is also covered by a 25-year guarantee. All of which are transferrable to the new owner.

Amanda Hinks-Edwards, Business Manager at Catnic commented: “With the target for a 68 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2030, renewable energy, and solar in particular, has never been more important. Recent indications from the Government suggest that solar panels could be mandatory on all new homes from 2027 and with a target to build 1.5 million new homes within this parliamentary term, the expansion of residential solar could be considerable. “Catnic SolarSeam provides an ideal solution for new and refurbishment projects that delivers excellent solar performance and allows design flexibility and uncompromised aesthetics. It also represents an opportunity for roofing professionals with skills in the installation of standing seam roofing to expand their offering to customers.”

More information on Catnic SolarSeam

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The Government announces that Future Homes Standard will explicitly promote the installation of solar panels on new homes for the first time, subject to practical limits.

Commenting on the news, Richard Beresford, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Builders (NFB), said: “The main barriers to mandating solar panels on all new buildings are grid costs and grid delays. Although not yet fully resolved, the Government has made real progress to fixing those issues, particularly through changes to the connection process, and planning reforms that ensure grid infrastructure funding goes further and faster.

If grid connections are timely and not cost prohibitive, solar for new buildings is deliverable and we support that ambition. We urge the Government to ensure planning is reformed so that councils cannot oppose solar on the grounds of being out of character.”

Also commenting is David Woon, head of net zero engineering and operations at Ennovus Solutions: “This is incredibly positive news, and I agree that it makes sense for all new builds to incorporate solar energy. However, the true benefit will be realised if this mandate is implemented in a way that maximises the potential of each installation, rather than simply meeting a minimum requirement. We too often observe new builds fitted with just one or two panels, which significantly limits the long-term advantages for both the homeowner and the environment.”

For more on the announcement visit www.rdr.link/dbe003

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Innovative solar fence panels has been launched byJacksons Fencing, providing homeowners with fence options that provide a boundary and produce energy.

With a 425-watt capability per panel, the Jaksun Solar Fence Panel harnesses the power of renewable energy, offering a return on the investment. For connection to the mains electricity network, the expertise of a qualified solar installer is required.

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