Noosa Solar for Strata Project Stage 2
Project description:
The project is intended to increase the uptake of solar on business and residential strata properties.
This specific focus is required as it is widely recognized that strata properties lag behind single owner properties in the uptake of solar PV. Reasons for this include:
Many apartment buildings have physical constraints including limited viable roof space, outdated wiring, structural issues and roof access challenges increasing installation costs.
Split incentives, high turnover of residents and owners, poor communication and other organisational issues can present barriers to co-ordinated action.
BCs may have difficulty in accessing finance for solar.
Strata laws can present hurdles to sustainability upgrades and electricity market regulation can make it difficult for electricity consumers to co-ordinate their energy supply arrangements.
Lack of objective information for residents and shortage of solar installers with strata experience make decision-making difficult.
We estimate there are approximately 73 industrial and 286 residential strata properties in Noosa Shire. Aerial mapping indicates that only 14% of these properties have solar, compared to aggregate residential at 45% and business at 23%. By advising and assisting BCs along their solar journey, we will assist Noosa to achieve its 2026 zero net emissions goal.
This specific project is Stage 2 of a planned 3-stage project to increase the uptake of rooftop solar in the residential and business strata sector.
Stage 1 is currently underway, funded by a Council grant. It involves working with 8 strata properties to advise on feasibility of solar, or solar revenue installations, and to develop the first chapter of case studies of those properties' journeys to solar solutions ( advising them of the complex legal, financial and technical decisions to make to deliver financially viable rooftop solar on the property).
Stage 2 is planned to encapsulate the learnings from Stage 1 in an on-line educational resource which would be freely available to the broad strata community.
Stage 3 (currently unfunded) would involve the development of professional accreditation resources targeted particularly to the body corporate management sector.