Mock-up images of Westminster Abbey (top) and Canterbury Cathedral (bottom) demonstrating how the buildings would look if retrofitted with BIPV solar roofing

Image: Roofit.solar

Heritage buildings face a dilemma – how to embrace the future without erasing the past.

As clean technologies and renewable energy gain momentum across the UK and beyond, historic buildings face increasing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint. This is, in part, intensified by concerns around their typically poor energy efficiency, often a result of age, design and traditional construction materials.

Many sustainable retrofits – such as LED lighting, heat pumps, and improved insulation – have proven relatively straightforward to implement without compromising the integrity or appearance of heritage and listed buildings. The integration of solar technology, however, has not always been readily accepted or implemented.

Solar roofing: Preserving the past while powering the future

Solar is one of the fastest-growing renewable energy sources in the world, but both official heritage guidelines and public opinion have indicated concern about the visual impact of traditional rooftop solar panels on historic buildings. The core challenge lies in reconciling modern, often bulky, technology with the architectural integrity and charm of the past.

Rooftops are ideal for solar installations, thanks to their unobstructed access to sunlight and efficient use of space. However, traditional solar panels can be visually intrusive – especially on heritage and protected buildings.

This is where building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) solar roofs come in: seamlessly integrated into the roof structure, they enable protected buildings to adopt clean energy without compromising aesthetics.

Blending into the architecture, quality solar roofing is often described as “invisible”. BIPV technology has now advanced to support buildings with distinctively coloured roofs – such as green oxidised copper or terracotta tiles – by offering solar materials in matching shades, allowing discreet rooftop solar integration for the first time.

UK heritage guidance embraces solar, but adoption remains limited

As the UK Government rolls out its ambitious Clean Power 2030 Action Plan – targeting 45–47 GW of solar generation capacity by 2030 – heritage organisations have also become increasingly committed to integrating solar into their properties and guidance policies; albeit with caution to protect visual appearance.

For example, Historic England updated its guidance in July 2024 to clarify that – with the necessary permissions and careful visual planning – solar panels can be appropriately integrated into heritage buildings. Prior to this, installations were often hindered by inconsistent decision-making across local councils.

However, despite this policy progress, uptake remains low. A government-commissioned review found that 87% of heritage building owners perceive listed-building consent as a barrier, and 75% say it prevents energy efficiency upgrades. In practice, only a small fraction of heritage buildings currently feature solar installations, highlighting the failure of standard panels to win widespread acceptance.

York Minster: The exception that proves the rule

Leading the way among religious buildings, the Church of England (one of the UK’s largest heritage custodians) pledged net-zero carbon emissions across its buildings by 2030. A recent example of solar integration is the iconic York Minster, which activated 184 solar panels in January 2025. These panels, discreetly positioned on the South Quire roof, will generate around 70,000 kWh annually – roughly a third of the Minster’s electricity demand.

Yet the installation drew public criticism: “Fitting panels to a historic building like that seems absurd…” and “That seems wrong on a historic building. I’m pro solar panels, but I don’t think they’re appropriate everywhere” are just two of the comments made by local members of the public when the solar plans were announced. This underscores how traditional panels can still clash with heritage sensibilities and deter broader adoption.

Still, the emissions and cost-savings potential of solar for heritage buildings is hard to ignore.

Bath Abbey offers a compelling feasibility study on solar’s potential: modelling suggests 164 PV panels could generate around 45 MWh per year – 35% of its annual usage – saving 10 tonnes of CO₂ annually, with payback in 13 years and a projected profit of £139,000 over 25 years.

Gloucester Cathedral – which installed 150 solar panels on its nave roof in 2016 – has reduced its energy costs by over 25%. It is considered the oldest UK cathedral with a solar installation, but one of many historic religious buildings in the UK to make such a move.

BIPV: The solution for widespread adoption

Rather than relying on rare, high-profile exceptions, the heritage sector now needs a solution built for scale – BIPV solar roofing delivers this.

Instead of ‘clashing’ with history, integrated solar roofing:

• Merges with the existing roofline, avoiding the ‘stuck-on’ look
• Mimics traditional materials like slate, terracotta or oxidised copper with coloured options
• Eliminates the most significant barriers – visual impact and public resistance – by remaining discreet.

As Sonia Dunlop, CEO of the Global Solar Council, puts it, “In some cases, BIPV could be appropriate” for historic buildings, highlighting that suitable technology already exists today to meet the needs of heritage custodians.

Mock-up images of Westminster Abbey (top) and Canterbury Cathedral (bottom) demonstrating how the buildings would look if retrofitted with BIPV solar roofing

Westminster Abbey and Canterbury Cathedral are two examples of iconic UK heritage buildings which have not yet adopted solar PV despite the Church of England initiatives. Their esteemed heritage status rightly calls for more careful scrutiny of how installations might impact aesthetics.

Solar roofing offers a solution. Instead of traditional panels that may jar with the fabric of these sites, mock-ups show how discreet BIPV roofing could be applied seamlessly – maintaining their tradition and style whilst generating clean, renewable energy to keep the buildings running. For custodians of these buildings, this is the first credible way to reconcile climate action with heritage protection.

Balancing preservation with progress

Renewable energy is the future – and soon, even the most exceptional buildings will need to adapt. The key is applying innovative, tailored solutions that support organisations in making the transition – with respect for their values and context. Solar roofing delivers exactly this for heritage buildings.

It’s a two-way street: if we're asking heritage organisations to commit to climate action, we must also respect their stewardship of historic fabric and place. That’s the difference between symbolic early adoption and genuine, scaled climate leadership.

Marrying the past with the future may not be straightforward – but it's essential. These treasured buildings will only endure if we protect both their history and the planet they stand on.