Speaker on Rooftop Solar Fire Risk and Roof Resilience
Olivier Langejan Rooftop solar fire resilience specialist
Rooftop solar is rapidly transforming industrial buildings into energy infrastructure. But photovoltaic systems also change how roofs behave in fire. Olivier Langejan studies rooftop solar from a building system perspective, helping engineers, insurers and building owners better understand and manage rooftop fire risk.
Rooftop photovoltaic systems are transforming industrial buildings into energy infrastructure. Warehouses, logistics centres and factories increasingly generate electricity directly from their roofs. However, photovoltaic installations also change the fire behaviour of roofs.
Olivier Langejan works in business development within the roofing and solar sector and has been closely involved in research into the fire behaviour of rooftop photovoltaic systems. With a background in architecture and building engineering, he approaches rooftop solar fire safety from a building system perspective.
Rather than focusing only on electrical components or individual fire tests, his work examines how photovoltaic systems interact with roof assemblies, insulation systems and overall building design. Through collaboration with testing institutes and industry partners he has contributed to the development of practical models that help engineers, insurers and building owners better understand fire risks associated with rooftop solar installations.
Why conferences invite Olivier Langejan
Conference organisers invite Olivier Langejan because he bridges three normally separate disciplines:
- solar energy systems
- roofing engineering
- fire safety and risk management
His presentations translate complex fire behaviour into clear, practical insights for engineers, insurers and policymakers. Rather than focusing only on ignition prevention, his work shows how roof design determines whether a local electrical fault remains limited or develops into a large roof fire. As rooftop solar rapidly expands across commercial and industrial buildings, this system level perspective is becoming increasingly important for the industry.
Keynote presentations
rooftop solar and fire resilience
Why the solar industry must move beyond ignition prevention.
This keynote explains how photovoltaic systems change the thermal behaviour of roofs and why fire resilience increasingly depends on the roof assembly beneath the panels.
the pv roof fire resilience framework
Understanding how rooftop PV fires develop and how roof design determines whether a local ignition becomes a large roof fire.
The presentation introduces a four stage model of fire development in rooftop photovoltaic systems:
- electrical ignition
- membrane ignition
- insulation pyrolysis
- fire propagation
The framework demonstrates why the roof assembly ultimately determines whether a small electrical incident escalates into a large roof fire.
the inevitability of ignition in rooftop pv systems
Why zero ignition assumptions are unrealistic in long term photovoltaic installations.
This presentation explains how ageing components, environmental exposure and hidden failure mechanisms increase ignition probability over time and why consequence limiting roof design becomes essential.
consequence limiting roof design
A design philosophy focused on limiting fire propagation rather than assuming ignition can always be prevented.The concept introduces roof assemblies that remain functionally non combustible beneath photovoltaic installations, significantly reducing the potential for large scale roof fires.
the oven effect under photovoltaic arrays
Photovoltaic panels fundamentally change the thermal behaviour of roofs through three mechanisms:
- heat accumulation beneath the panels
- radiative heat feedback from the modules
- flame channeling between module rows
Together these effects create a thermal environment very different from conventional roof fires.
Impact on the Industry
Olivier's work focuses on shifting the industry from reactive problem-solving to proactive system design. His frameworks and research insights are increasingly used to:
Refine Insurance Risk Assessments
Provide insurers with a technical basis to distinguish between standard roof assemblies and highly resilient roofing systems, ensuring that large-scale solar roof installations remain insurable.
Optimize Industrial Roof Designs
Support architects and engineers in making data-driven decisions about roof structures, balancing structural weight limitations against improved fire resilience.
Improve Testing Methods
Collaborate with testing institutes such as ZAG and FM Approvals to go beyond component-level testing and conduct full system fire behavior analyses under realistic PV roof conditions.
Research and Testing Work
In his work within the roofing and solar power sector, Olivier Langejan has been involved in various research projects on the behavior of roof structures under photovoltaic installations. Tests have been conducted in collaboration with independent research institutes and certification bodies, including organizations such as ZAG and FM Approvals. Independent fire tests of roof assemblies with BarrierSheet systems and PIR insulation have been carried out to assess fire performance under realistic roof conditions. The research focuses on how roof structures can remain functionally non-combustible under PV installations, even under severe fire effects.
Research and Publications
The above presentation topics are based on ongoing research and technical publications on the fire behavior of solar roofs and roof construction design. Recent studies include:
- The inevitability of ignition in solar roof systems
- Solar roofs and fire resilience
- Glass-glass versus glass-foil PV modules and fire behavior on roofs
- The PV roof fire resilience framework
These publications examine how photovoltaic systems influence the likelihood of ignition, heat development, and fire propagation on industrial roofs.
Recent Industry Presentations
Olivier Langejan regularly presents his research and models to insurers, engineers, and specialists working on solar roof risks. Recent presentations include expert sessions for organizations such as FM and Allianz.
These discussions focus on how solar roof installations affect fire development and how consequence-limiting roof design can reduce large-scale roof fire risk.
Speaking Formats
Available for:
- keynote presentations
- technical conference lectures
- expert panels
- industry workshops
Conference bio
Olivier Langejan works in business development within the roofing and solar sector and has been closely involved in research into the fire behaviour of rooftop photovoltaic systems. With a background in architecture and building engineering, he approaches rooftop solar fire safety from a building system perspective. He pioneered the PV roof fire resilience framework, helping engineers, insurers and policymakers understand how rooftop solar installations can remain fire resilient even when ignition occurs.
Speaking enquiries
Olivier Langejan is a speaker on rooftop solar fire behaviour, PV roof fire resilience and the interaction between photovoltaic systems and roof assemblies. His talks focus on how roof design influences fire development beneath photovoltaic installations and how buildings can remain fire resilient even when ignition occurs.
He regularly presents for industry conferences, engineering audiences and insurance professionals.
For conference invitations or speaking requests:
Olivier Langejan
The Netherlands
ol@allshieldcoatings.com
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