Solar Panels for New Builds

Whether you’re building a new home for yourself or commercially, sustainability and environmental concerns are paramount.

Buyers are becoming more concerned about the environmental impact of their lifestyles, with many factoring it highly in their buying decisions. Any new build home that delivers beautiful surroundings alongside sustainability is going to be popular!

Sunstore Solar can help with that by providing low-cost, high-efficiency solar panels for new build homes.

Deliver all the benefits of clean renewable energy while retaining a grid connection in case more energy is required.

Cost Benefits of Solar Panels for New Builds

Solar panels for new build homes will require upfront investment but you’ll recoup that very quickly once they are in use.

If you use integrated solar panels, some of the cost will be offset by needing fewer tiles. Even standard solar panels are much cheaper than they used to be.

If you’re building for yourself, you’ll make that money back by spending less on energy. With an energy market as challenging as ours, you could make your money back faster than you might think!

If you’re building commercially, buying in volume, whether you use BIPV or standard panels offers economies of scale that you can recoup as part of the selling price.

Any new build that has an on-grid solar power system is going to sell fast, so you won’t have long to wait for your return.

Environmental Benefits of Solar Panels for New Builds

The environmental benefits of solar panels for new builds are well-known.

Solar panels lower our use of fossil-fuel-derived energy, lowers carbon emissions, lowers energy bills and lowers stress on the grid. All while providing that grid backup should you need it.

With BREEAM a key selling point for new build homes, the more you can do to achieve high scores, the more popular those properties will be.

BREEAM stands for Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method. It is a sustainability assessment method and certification program for buildings that originated in the UK but is now used worldwide.

BREEAM assesses the environmental performance of buildings based on criteria related to energy and water usage, waste management, and materials used in construction, among others.

Buildings that achieve high BREEAM ratings are considered more sustainable and environmentally friendly, and may be more attractive to potential buyers or tenants.

If you’re building for yourself, you’ll still experience the same sustainability benefits, along with lower energy bills and the opportunity to make a little money from the export guarantee.

Incorporating Solar Panels into New Build Design

The advantage of incorporating solar panels into new build design means your architect can add them holistically to the roof and frame the shape, orientation and structure to ensure efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

New builds have two main options when integrating solar power into the design.

You can use BIPV, building-integrated photovoltaics, basically solar tiles that replace standard roof tiles. They are more expensive than standard panels but are less visible.

The most popular option is the solar panel. Suspended over roof tiles using a special frame, solar panels are cheaper and more readily available than BIPV, which is why they are so popular.

Improving Your BREEAM Score

The BREEAM (Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Methodology) score is the new standard for environmental considerations in new builds and renovations.

Most planning applications factor the BREEAM score into the process. The higher your score, the higher your chances of being granted permission if all other things are equal.

Solar panels for new builds are a cheap, accessible way to boost your BREEAM score.

The score is based on credits and covers the entire lifecycle of a building, from initial design to aftercare. Each sustainable feature your new build has, the more credits you’re awarded towards your score.

BREEAM is an incredibly complex measure, but suffice to say, the more credits you get, the higher your score. The higher your score, the higher your chances of getting planning permission.

Solar Panels for New Builds and Part L

Part L is an interim building standard put in place until the Future Homes Standard comes into effect in 2025.

Part L covers the ‘Conservation of Fuel and Power’ of which solar panels play a part. It’s a standard that sets us on the path to net zero by 2050 and all new builds have to comply with the interim regulations and the upcoming Future Homes Standard.

While solar panels on new builds won’t qualify for all of Part L, it forms part of the qualification as they are required as part of the conservation of power.

Types of On-grid Solar Panels for New Builds

There may be two main types of solar panels for new builds, BIPV and solar panels, it’s mainly panels that are used for new build construction right now so let’s discuss those here.

Most on-grid solar systems will be categorised by wattage. You’ll see 1kW systems, 2kW, 3kW, all the way to 10kW and above.

Each describes the amount of wattage a solar power system can generate and will determine the ideal type of building you would use it on.

For example, a 1kW system would typically be used on small garages or sheds to power a light and a power tool or two.

A 5kW solar power system would be sufficient for a three bedroom house with moderate energy needs. A 10kW system could be used for large family homes or smaller commercial premises.

Battery Storage

There is also the question of battery storage when you discuss on-grid solar power systems.

You can generate renewable energy from your solar panels and use whatever you need. You can optionally feed excess energy into the grid using the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). Speak to your energy provider to find the best rates, the one we recommend is Octopus Flux.

That means free energy during the day and using the grid connection at night.

Or you could install batteries to store the energy generated during the day. The solar panels would charge the batteries which would power the property.

You could still sell excess energy using the SEG but you would also have stored energy to use at night or when you weren’t generating power.

As you’re still on-grid, you would always have the option to use grid power anytime you need it.

Battery storage requires extra investment but lowers energy bills over the long term. Householders could use zero or very little grid energy day or night, which is quite the benefit!

On-grid Solar Panels for New Build Homes FAQs