Building Regulations Consent For Solar Panels

You will need to check that your roof is capable of supporting the additional weight that comes with the solar panels.

Building regulations consent for solar panels. If you wish to install a solar panel on your roof building regulations will normally apply. Adding the photovoltaic panels on the roof may affect height to boundary restrictions. Being in a conservation area does not in itself stop you from an installation. There s a size restriction of 9m2 for any standalone arrays.

Some strengthening work may be needed. Many councils indicate that they apply the use of section 43 of the building act 2004 which describes solar panel installations as energy work. Generally speaking energy work does not require a building consent. As solar installations aren t considered as building work a building consent is not required but can be applied for voluntarily.

To qualify as a standalone solar system the panels have to be at least 5 metres from the property. Building regulations regardless of whether or not planning permission is required for the installation of your solar panels the installation itself is still subject to standard building regulations. If you plan to install photovoltaic panels you need to check if you need a resource consent. The property may be in a special interest or heritage zone.

You might need a resource consent. The key areas are structural safetyof a building part a and electrical safetyof a building part p. Since a change in legislation in april 2008 the installation of solar panels has been deemed permitted development and therefore planning permission is not required unless the building is listed or in a conservation area. The ability of the existing roof to carry the load weight of the panel will need to be checked and proven.

Building regulations also apply to other aspects of the work such as electrical installation. No part of the installation can be above 4 metres if two of your friends are standing on your shoulders and not able to reach the top then it s too high. Stand alone solar equipment panels not on a building but within the grounds of a house or a block of flats. There are some exceptions to this but for the purposes of this practice note the installation of pv panels to generate electricity does not require a building consent.

Refer s 43 of the building act 2004.