Static solar heat collectors

A solar heat collector for the roof of a building, said roof having eaves and a ridge, said building including supporting walls, said collector comprising

• laminated GRP panels respectively having eaves and ridge ends and adapted to extend as self-supporting components between said eaves and ridge of said roof on opposite sides of said ridge;
• upstanding roof ridge flanges at said roof ends of said panels, said flanges being in mating engagement with each other;
• a depending wall plate flange on and adjacent said eaves end of said panel and adapted to engage one of said supporting walls of said building;
• and a stiffening beam extending substantially between said ridge flange and said wall plate flange,
• said laminated panel including laminae, a matrix of heat exchange fluid channels being defined between said laminae of said panel.

A pitched roof structure for a building including supporting walls and a roof including eaves and a ridge, said roof having oppositely inclined roof pitches having a slant height and meeting at said ridge, said structure comprising

• a plurality of laminated GRP load-bearing roof panels on opposite sides of said ridge and having upper and lower sides and being of a length equal to said slant height and each having an external surface finish on the upper side thereof simulating roofing tiles and including an integrally formed longitudinal stiffening beam on the under side thereof extending substantially from said eaves to said ridge;
• at least one of said roof panels including laminae and being provided with a heat-exchange fluid flow channel formed between said laminae;
• integral depending wall plate flanges on said panels to abut corresponding of the walls of the building, said roof panels resting on said walls;
• a substantially flat ceiling membrane spanning between the wall plate flanges on opposite sides of the roof, and
• means for reinforcing said ceiling membrane against buckling under compressive loading in a direction transverse to the roof ridge, and against sagging when said structure is in situ on the building.