Roofs in Bermuda

Bermuda is a fabulous island holiday destination in the Atlantic - famous for disappearing aircraft and knee length shorts in natty patterns. There are 60,000 permanent residents on the island and hundreds of thousands of tourists visit every year to experience the strong surf and sandy beaches. What may sound like an island paradise has one shortcoming - there is no fresh water on the island - no rivers, no springs, no underground reserves. The natives have found an architectural solution to this problem and it is all in the design of their roofs.

The White Stepped Roof

All of the fresh water on the island of Bermuda comes from rainfall. The annual rainfall in Bermuda exceeds that of England (something that their tourist board is unsurprisingly quiet about). Bermudan houses aren’t connected to a mains water supply. Instead, they harvest the rain with their unique white stepped roofs. 

How It Works

Rainfall can be brief but heavy in Bermuda, leaving a small window of opportunity to refill the household water tanks. A pitched roof would quickly transport the water away from the property. By including the steps in the design of the roof, the swift flow of the water is delayed - allowing a longer time for the gutter systems to collect the water and fill the water storage tanks.

The Future

Increasing population and the pressure from tourists who expect their water ‘on tap’ means that, increasingly, Bermuda is having to rely on desalination plants to provide the extra water required. The roofing solution that has worked for 400 years and is enshrined in Bermudan planning laws can no longer meet the demands of our water hungry species.

Here in the UK, we have plenty of water, but we should still treat it as precious resource. A future of climate uncertainty could mean that the roofers of subsequent generations will be adopting techniques pioneered by the Bermudans.

At RG Leverett, we can construct solid dependable pitched or flat roofs according to your instruction. All of our installations come with a guarantee. If you have an enquiry, call us on 01603 418818 or drop us an email at enquiries@roofsuk.co.uk.

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