What happens during a rooftop solar site audit

A good solar system starts with a good look at the site. The audit is where the facts behind the design are gathered: what the roof can carry, where the sun falls, and how the building already uses electricity.

What we look at

• Roof area and condition — how much usable space there is, and whether the surface is ready to carry a mounting structure.
• Orientation and tilt — which way the roof faces and how the modules could be angled.
• Shade — trees, water tanks, neighbouring buildings and parapets that cast shadows at different times of day.
• Structure — the type of roof (RCC slab, metal sheet, tiled) and how a structure would be fixed to it.
• Electrical setup — the meter, distribution board, earthing and where the inverter and any batteries could go.
• Access and safety — how people and materials will reach the roof safely during installation and maintenance.

What we'll ask you

We'll want to understand how you use electricity and what you want the system to do. Recent electricity bills help, as do answers to a few simple questions: do you need backup during power cuts, which appliances matter most, and are you planning changes such as a new floor, air conditioners or an electric vehicle?

How to prepare

• Keep a few recent electricity bills handy.
• Make sure the roof and the meter area can be reached safely.
• Note any plans for the roof, such as a water tank or an extra storey.
• List the loads you'd want to keep running during an outage.

After the audit, the system type, size, layout and electrical design are worked out for your specific site — and explained to you before anything is installed.