Canadian Equestrian Multi-Purpose Barn

The Project

Bruce Goode, a retired cattle-ranch owner and airline pilot, recently downsized and purchased a small 8-acre equestrian estate with spectacular mountain and lake views of the Okanagan Valley area of British Columbia, Canada. The property features a new 3,500-square-foot, multi-purpose barn with a 24-gauge Cascadia Metals Black SMP Standing Seam Metal Roof.

The spacious main floor will be used as a workshop area with a tack room and riders’ lounge. The upper floor open loft area will be used as a “hunting lodge/cowboy shack” themed retreat and entertainment area complete with taxidermy mounts, in addition to a hobby/work area for gunsmithing and another area for exercising.

The Challenge

The owner’s goal was to construct a multi-purpose building that would also serve as a mounting platform for a 28.35 kilowatt PV solar system, which would provide 100% of the electricity needs for the entire equestrian ranch property. He also needed a roof that would meet the expected 25-30+ year service life of the PV system. Because the barn is located in the northern hemisphere, he needed to orient the roof and the solar panels for maximum solar gain.

Additionally, the property is located within a forest interface area, so a building constructed of fire-resistant materials was preferable. Furthermore, he wanted to reduce the risk of sudden and unexpected release of snow his new slick metal roof, potentially posing a serious threat to property and visiting guests below.

The Solution

The owner specified a standing seam metal roof for its sustainability and durability, since it is the only roof type with a service life that actually exceeds the service life of a solar PV system. This enables him to avoid potential costly disassembly of the PV array, re-roofing and re-assembly further down the road.

The ridgeline of the barn roof was oriented exactly due east/west, to afford maximum solar gain for the 90 solar panel system mounted on the south-facing upper roof and lower roof surfaces. 

The S-5-PVKIT^® 2.0 solar solution (in black to match the black anodized PV frames) enabled solar installers to direct-attach PV modules to the standing seams, eliminating the need for a traditional rail mounting system and provided a simple, secure, economical and penetration-free method for attaching the solar modules.

Additionally, in the event of a nearby wildfire, a metal roof was chosen for its non-flammable, non-combustible properties, since it will not spark and ignite into flames during a wildfire or lightning strike, which also helps the owner save on insurance premiums.

S-5!’s X-Gard™ 2.0 snow retention pipe system was selected for its compatibility with the project's standing seam metal roof. It is mechanically attached with round-point setscrews, gripping the seam securely without penetration and without damage to the panels’ protective finishes.

“We’ve been using S-5! zero-penetration clamps on our solar projects successfully for years, and the release of the PVKIT 2.0 adds another S-5! product to our arsenal for standing seam metal roofs. Beyond the quality and ease of use we have come to expect from S-5!, the PVKIT’s rail-less design is what makes it a no-brainer for us. Not only do we avoid the shipping, and on-site handling and leveling of rails, but we are able to reduce our overall cost per watt through lower material cost and installation time as compared to a rail-based solution.” —Stephen Russell, Owner, Roost Solar, Canada

LOCATION

Vernon, British Columbia, Canada

BUILDING OWNER

Bruce Goode

CONTRACTOR

General Contractor: Woodstyle Homes; Roofing Contractor: Artisan Roofing Ltd., Solar Contractor: Roost Solar, Inc.

BUDGET

$822,500

SIZE

Total Square Footage: Total area: 3,500 square feet.; Main floor: 2,500 square feet.; Upper floor: 1,000 square feet

DATE COMPLETED

May 28, 2020

Module Manufacturer: Canadian Solar 315W mono-crystalline modules (CS3K-315MS)

Inverter Manufacturer: 3 SolarEdge HD Wave inverters 7600W each (SE7600H-US) and P340 (340W) optimizers under each panel

Solar Attachment Manufacturer: S-5!

Project Stats:
• Roof Profile: 24-gauge Cascadia Metals Black SMP Standing Seam Metal Roof, 20" On Center, 1-1/2" high rib, from New Tech Machinery SSH, SS150
• Project Size: 28.35 kilowatts
• Roof Measured: 6,000 square feet
• Roof Pitch: 8/12 upper roof

MCA Member, S-5!

Additional Notes
“Our timber-framed multipurpose barn was designed and constructed to withstand time and elements in a challenging western Canadian environment. The barn was built with the exclusive use of durable, weatherproof, fireproof and low-maintenance materials. To maximize the longevity potential of the barn's roof, we chose a standing seam metal roof, which achieved our sustainability goals. The metal roof provides an excellent platform for mounting the 90 solar panels, which are directly attached using the S-5-PVKIT 2.0 rail-less, solar attachment solution to the entire south-facing surfaces of the roof. I am confident the barn will provide trouble-free enjoyment for our family today and for many generations to come.”--Bruce Good, Property Owner