How do you get solar panels if you live in an apartment block?

Last year, more than 300,000 rooftop solar systems were installed across Australia. 

But what if you don’t exactly own your roof? 

In Australian strata buildings, the uptake of solar panels and other sustainability upgrades pales in comparison to the national average. While it’s estimated that about 38 percent of Australian homes have installed solar panels, the average uptake for Sydney strata buildings is about 3.5 percent.

Lacking the autonomy granted in standalone properties, the installation of sustainability upgrades — not just solar panels, but also home batteries, electric hot water systems and EV charging stations — may seem an incredibly complicated process for strata residents. 

Solar for strata

Recent changes to NSW strata legislation are attempting to encourage sustainability upgrades.

It used to be that a threshold of 75 percent of strata owners had to vote in favour of a sustainability proposal for it to be enacted. However, since February this has been reduced to a majority of votes.

It is also legislated that at annual general meetings, sustainability should be discussed as a topic. 

Meanwhile, as of July, strata by-laws that ban sustainability infrastructure are prohibited, unless the building is Heritage-listed.

Many of the North Shore’s apartment buildings, townhouses and housing complexes are found in North Sydney, where almost 90 percent of homes are medium or high density.

Owners can ask a representative of North Sydney Council to attend a strata meeting to explain how upgrades work, when upgrades could be expected to pay for themselves, and about any applicable rebates.

Why upgrade?

According to modelling from the Federal Government, the average rooftop solar system saves a household more than $1,500 a year on energy bills, with the potential for further  savings when combined with other electric appliances, such as home batteries, electric heat pumps, and induction cooktops. While the upfront costs of installing new systems can be a barrier to residents, the overall savings can offset these costs in a matter of years. 

North Sydney Council gives the example of a Waverton building into which an electric heat pump system was installed. It said utility bill savings over three years would cover the cost of the $6,659 system.

Thumbnail: Zbynek Burival, Tobias Wilden via Unsplash