Roofing panels and roofing system employing the same

1. A roofing system, comprising: a plurality of roofing panels each having a bottom surface and a top surface, opposite upper and lower peripheral edges and opposite lateral peripheral edges, the top surface having the appearance of a plurality of individual shingles, and wherein each roofing panel comprises a plurality of hooks disposed on the bottom surface proximate at least the lower edge and at least one of the lateral edges, the hooks opening outwardly away from the roofing panel to thereby permit the peripheral edges of roofing panels disposed horizontally and vertically adjacent each other to be slidingly received therein;

wherein each roofing panel further comprises a plurality of tabs disposed proximate at least the upper edge and at least one of the lateral edges, wherein the tabs of each roofing panel are slidingly receivable within the hooks of vertically and horizontally adjacent roofing panels to thereby permit sliding engagement between roofing panels disposed horizontally and vertically adjacent to each other;

wherein further at least the upper edge of each roofing panel comprises a plurality of laterally extending slots for receiving fastening elements therethrough, the slots being defined along vertically recessed portions of the upper edge intermediate the plurality of tabs, and wherein the vertically recessed portions are positioned for abutting contact with a support surface, and said plurality of tabs are vertically raised relative to said recessed portions so as to avoid abutting contact with a support surface; and

wherein further each vertically raised tab is slidingly receivable within the hook of a vertically adjacent roofing panel so that the hook is substantially disposed between the vertically recessed portions defined intermediate the vertically raised tabs.

2. The roofing system of claim 1 , wherein the top surface of each roofing panel has the appearance of a plurality of individual shingles arranged in a plurality of vertically adjacent, horizontally extending rows.

3. The roofing system of claim 2 , wherein the top surface of each roofing panel has the appearance of a plurality of individual shingles arranged in a plurality of vertically adjacent, horizontally extending rows with each successive row staggered relative to the preceding row, and wherein further the lateral edges of each roofing panel are stepped to correspond to the staggered rows.

4. The roofing system of claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of each roofing panel includes a plurality of ribs projecting downwardly therefrom.

5. The roofing system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of edging strips each having the appearance of only the bottom portions of a plurality of individual shingles arranged in a horizontal row, and each edging strip further being slidingly engageable with the hooks proximate the lower edge of at least one roofing panel disposed vertically adjacent thereto.

6. The roofing system of claim 5 , wherein each edging strip comprises a plurality of tabs positioned proximate an upper edge of the edging strip, said tabs adapted to engage with the hooks provided proximate the lower edge of a vertically adjacent roofing panel to permit sliding engagement therebetween.

7. The roofing system of claim 6 , wherein the upper edge of each edging strip further comprises a plurality of laterally extending slots for receiving fastening elements therethrough, the slots being defined along vertically recessed portions of the upper edge intermediate the plurality of tabs provided on said upper edge, and wherein the vertically recessed portions are positioned for abutting contact with a support surface, and said plurality of tabs are positioned on portions of said upper edge which are vertically raised relative to said recessed portions so as to avoid abutting contact with a support surface.

8. The roofing system of claim 1 , wherein each roofing panel further comprises indicia facilitating the selective horizontal spacing of each roofing panel with a horizontally adjacent roofing panel.

9. The roofing system of claim 8 , wherein said indicia comprise a plurality of temperature lines each indicating a predetermined horizontal spacing between horizontally adjacent roofing panels at a predetermined ambient temperature.

10. The roofing system of claim 5 , wherein each edging strip further comprises indicia facilitating the selective horizontal spacing of each edging strip with a horizontally adjacent edging strip.

11. The roofing system of claim 10 , wherein said indicia comprise a plurality of temperature lines each indicating a predetermined horizontal spacing between horizontally adjacent edging strips at a predetermined ambient temperature.

12. The roofing system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one flexible stop projecting from the bottom surface of each roofing panel and positioned for abutting contact with a lateral edge of another roofing panel positioned vertically adjacent thereto.

13. The roofing system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of flexible stops positioned proximate each of the plurality of hooks disposed proximate the upper or lower edges, and each said stop projecting from the bottom surface of each roofing panel so as to be positioned for abutting contact with a lateral edge of another roofing panel positioned vertically adjacent thereto.

14. The roofing system of claim 1 , further comprising;

a plurality of edging strips for installation as the vertically lowest course in a polymeric roof, each edging strip simulating the appearance of only the bottom portions of a plurality of individual shingles, and each edging strip further being slidingly engageable with of at least one roofing panel disposed vertically adjacent thereto.