Rooftop Ice and Snow Melting at the LG Arena

The Goal

The NEC Group, owners of the LG Arena in Birmingham, needed to suspend additional audio and visual equipment from the arena roof. However, the roof structure lacked sufficient spare load capacity to safely carry the extra weight.

Structural reinforcement would have been costly and disruptive. Therefore, the challenge was to free up load capacity by reducing the roof’s exposure to heavy snow. The NEC Group needed a safe, automatic and energy-efficient roof snow melting system that would prevent build-up and keep the roof clear year-round.

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Our Solution

Through its subsidiary Heatmat, Heatcom Group designed and installed an advanced roof heating system covering over 2,000 m² of roof surface.

The system used 12 km of UV-stable ice and snow melting cables. Installers fixed the cables with proprietary mounting strips and adhesives compatible with the existing roof materials. They arranged the cables in zones to provide consistent heat distribution and allow easy maintenance access.

A fully automated control system was installed. It integrates temperature and moisture sensors that activate the heating only when snow or ice is detected. As a result, the system delivers maximum energy efficiency.

By preventing heavy snow build-up, the roof snow melting system effectively increased the roof’s safe load capacity. This enabled the NEC Group to suspend new lighting and sound systems without structural reinforcement. Despite the large roof area, operating cost remained below £1,000 per year, even in harsh winters.

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The Result

The system performed exceptionally well during testing and throughout winter. According to the client, the system was used intensely between 22 and 23 March 2013, when a substantial amount of snow fell. It cleared the roof completely, and all drainage areas worked well with no water run-off problems.

The installation ensured a safe, snow-free roof. In addition, it delivered substantial cost savings compared to traditional roof reinforcement at the arena.

Rooftop-ice-and-snow-melting-at-the-LG-Arena.pdf