Roof designer

ExoSett roofs can vary enormously. A temporary or emergency building may need no separate roof because every accommodation module is weatherproof in its own right. Another building might use a conventional flat or gabled roof, while a large space-frame roof could span multiple frame pairs.

A flat roof might support a garden or plant, and many roof forms could incorporate or support solar panels. There is no standard ExoSett roof solution: the right response follows the building’s objectives, form, site and intended life.

The Building designer owns the overall roof intent, including whether a separate roof exists. They may set constraints such as a flat or pitched form, colour and visual character, overhang, dimensions and required functions. The Roof designer develops that intent into a technically sound, buildable roof specification without taking ownership of the overall building form or the client’s objectives.

The relationship is collaborative. The Roof designer should identify worthwhile possibilities and present them to the Building designer and, where appropriate, the Project client. These might include discreet solar generation, rainwater collection, roof gardens, plant space, shading or daylighting. The Building designer and client decide whether a proposal becomes part of the building objectives.

Where relevant to the chosen roof, the Roof designer is responsible for:

• designing for structural loads, including wind and snow;
• providing weatherproofing and drainage;
• coordinating penetrations and interfaces with building systems;
• providing suitable maintenance access, guarding and fall protection; and
• defining the information needed to construct, inspect and maintain the roof.

Where a separate roof exists, it is secured to the uppermost appropriate frame nodes. Roof loads are transferred into the building frames through those nodes.

The Frame designer and Roof designer agree attachment points and coordinate the loads and forces entering the upper frame nodes.

The Services designer coordinates plant, solar systems, drainage, vents, cabling and other services associated with the roof. The Safety officer coordinates fire performance, safe access, guarding and relevant regulatory approvals and certifications.

The Module designer is involved where the roof physically interfaces with accommodation modules or their weatherproofing.

An ExoSett building may change over time, including gaining or losing floors. The Roof designer should understand the intended lifecycle and avoid unnecessarily making an adaptable building effectively fixed.

Where relevant, the roof specification should allow the roof to be removed, relocated or reinstalled as the building changes.

The Roof designer maintains the roof-related content of the building specification, recording the agreed roof solution, its structural and functional requirements, its interfaces and the information needed for construction, verification, use, maintenance and future change.

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