Leading Burton on Trent manufacturer Russell Roof Tiles has formed a partnership with solar specialists Solfit, to support the deployment of roof-integrated solar systems across UK housing developments.
The partnership between Russell Roof Tiles and Solfit is designed to strengthen integration between roofing systems and solar deployment, enabling solar to be treated as part of the roof system itself rather than as a separate technology installation.
With solar PV expected to become standard across new-build housing under forthcoming energy efficiency regulations, the integration of solar systems within roofing design and construction processes is becoming increasingly important for housebuilders delivering at scale.
Daniel Hancox, Corporate Sustainability & Development Director at Russell Roof Tiles, added: “As solar becomes an increasingly standard feature of new-build housing, closer integration between roofing systems and solar technologies is becoming essential. Housebuilders need solutions that not only support energy generation targets, but also maintain roofing performance, build efficiency and long-term reliability.
“Our partnership with Solfit brings together roofing expertise and integrated solar delivery in a way that supports a more coordinated approach to solar deployment across residential developments.”
Solfit provides roof-integrated solar solutions for the UK housing sector, supporting housebuilders in designing, integrating and governing compliant solar PV systems across residential developments.
Russell Roof Tiles designs and manufactures a growing range of innovative concrete roof tiles and associated roofing products at three sites in the UK, which are used on residential and commercial developments across the country.
Focused on delivering high-quality, durable, and sustainable solutions. The company has an important role to play in supporting the UK’s transition to Net Zero. As part of this commitment, Russell Roof Tiles is aiming to become a Net Zero company by 2040 – 10 years earlier than the Government targets.
Solfit has developed a fully integrated in-roof solar system designed specifically for the operational requirements of UK housebuilders. The system combines roof-integrated solar panels with panel-level microinverter technology, and an all-metal mounting architecture intended to improve integration, safety and long-term performance.
Alongside the technology platform, Solfit provides a managed solar delivery framework covering specification support, contractor enablement, compliance governance, installation auditing and long-term warranty support. The approach is intended to help housebuilders deploy solar more consistently across multi-plot developments while maintaining alignment between design intent and on-site delivery.
Lee Chadwick, Managing Director at Solfit, said: “As solar becomes standard across new-build housing, the industry is moving beyond simply adding PV to developments and towards designing solar as an integrated part of the building fabric. Closer alignment between roofing systems and solar delivery is becoming increasingly important for safety, compliance and long-term performance.
“Our partnership with Russell Roof Tiles reflects that shift, bringing together roofing expertise and integrated solar delivery to help housebuilders deploy solar consistently and confidently across developments.”
The collaboration reflects a broader transition within the construction and renewable energy sectors as solar evolves from an optional technology upgrade into a core component of residential building design.
By aligning roofing and solar expertise earlier in the specification and delivery process, Russell Roof Tiles and Solfit aim to support housebuilders in meeting future regulatory requirements while maintaining build efficiency, roofing performance and long-term system reliability.
This is the latest innovation from Russell Roof Tiles, following the launch of revolutionary triple tile, Bute3®, which is now in full production at its new multimillion pound state of the art automated line. Using modern curing technology, the firm utilises solar PV to help power the manufacturing plant, making for a more efficient manufacturing process and using up to 30 per cent less energy to cure than clay tiles. Bute3® combines the look of three traditional plain tiles into a single interlocking unit - delivering a traditional aesthetic while significantly speeding up installation.