The roofs are operated by a simple motor that pulls the roof fabric across the plots when triggered by the appropriate sensor.

For the Warming treatment, the roofs are triggered at night by a light sensor. 15 minutes after dusk,  the motor pull the roof across the experimental plot. The fabric is a light-weight aluminium mesh that reflects infra-red radiation absorbed by the plants and soil during the day back into the community. During daylight the roof is retracted to keep experimental artefacts to a minimum. The roofs also retract during the night when rain is detected by a tipping bucket rainfall sensor, this is to make sure the plots receive the same rainfall in the warming plots as the moorland around the plots.

The Drought treatment has roofs that are triggered by a tipping bucket rainfall sensor. The treatment operates between May-September each year, and reduces rainfall on average by 20% each year. The Climoor experimental site is in one of the wettest parts of the UK, and receives an annual rainfall, on average, of 1361 mm per annum.

At the Recovery roof site, we have additional pollution and soil moisture manipulation treatments. Here we combine the automated roofs with an irrigation system to produce a Pristine treatment and an Optimum Soil Moisture treatment.

The Pristine treatment operates year-round and whenever rainfall is detected, a drought roof covers the plot. Underneath the roof we have an irrigation system which is automated to maintain optimum soil moisture levels and sprays a solution striped of all forms of nitrogen and sulphur pollution. The Optimum Soil Moisture treatment  maintains optimum moisture conditions using ambient rainfall at the site.