Can A Flat Roof Help Make Live Events Venues Safer?

Daniel Bracewell • 13 February 2025

An effectively designed, hard-wearing and long-lasting flat roof designed and constructed by specialists is used by many businesses as a way to maximise the usable space of their building, but in the case of one events venue, it will make the whole building usable again.

The planning approval by Sheffield City Council for work to the roof of the O2 Academy has been 16 months in the making since it was forced to close in September 2023, but the repair work could help to revitalise the local area.

The replacement roof uses a series of roof liner panels fitted on top of the existing steel structure, with a waterproof membrane laid on top of this to provide a more conventional, heavy-duty flat roof.

The reason given by the Academy Music Group, the parent company that owns many O2 Academy venues across the country, is due to the roof’s usage of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), which meant that it was at risk of collapsing without notice.

Because it was cheaper, lighter and easier to install than conventional concrete, RAAC was commonly used in the 1950s and 1960s, but it had a tendency to fail and collapse without notice, which led to many buildings containing the material shutting down whilst emergency repairs were made.

The O2 Academy called the closure “temporary”, but it took well over a year before the planning application was made and approved.

This safety issue also delayed the establishment of a shipping container development nearby known as Stack, which was set to be installed between the O2 Academy and a nearby Odeon cinema.

The application noted that the flat roof work could be completed and allow the building to “reopen swiftly”, which would ideally help a beloved live music venue return safer and better than ever before.

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Can You Install Solar Panels On A Flat Roof?

by Daniel Bracewell • 10 December 2025

If you’re exploring how to lower your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint, you may be looking at the likes of solar panels for your home. But what if your property has a flat roof rather than a pitched roof? Can you still install solar panels on a flat roof? The short answer is yes, you can! In fact, it is often easier to install solar panels on a flat roof than it is to fit them to a sloped roof, which might make this an even more appealing avenue to explore when you’re looking at flat roof ideas . In many cases, you also don’t need planning permission to install solar panels on your flat roof. Of course, there are exceptions if you have a listed building or live in a conservation area, but if you own your house (different rules apply for flats too), you should be free to add solar panels to your home as you choose. There are different kinds of mounting systems for flat roof solar panels and which is most appropriate for your home will depend on the direction it faces. It is worth noting that the cost of installing solar panels is often higher on flat roofs because of the mounting system, but some of this can be offset by the lower labour costs because the installation process is usually more straightforward. One of the main reasons homeowners install solar panels is to reduce their energy bills. Many report savings of hundreds of pounds each year, which means these panels often pay for themselves relatively quickly. What’s more, under the Smart Export Guarantee , you can sell any energy you don’t use back to the National Grid, which can increase the rate at which your investment in solar panels pays for itself. So, if you are exploring ways to make the most of your flat roof, consider solar panels as an option to reduce your energy bills and do good for the environment.