/ Design
How we design your system
Designing an energy system is where strategy becomes something real - shaped by site constraints, technical detail, and long-term performance requirements. We bring clarity to that process, coordinating with the wider design team, refining system performance, and developing construction-ready designs that align with your objectives. Your system will be specified for your actual energy profile, modelled against real weather, and engineered to perform over its full life - not just at the point of sale.Systems are designed to work within the constraints of the site or building. This includes the grid connection capacity, wind loads, building structure or geotechnical limitations. We ensure all designs comply with district plan rules and protect existing roof warranties.
Designed for your site or building
We will design a system that works within the constraints of your site or building. The design will factor in the grid connection capacity, wind loads, building structure or geotechnical limitations. We ensure all designs comply with district plan rules and protect existing roof warranties
Designed for maintenance and safety
We take a long view, designing a system that will reliably provide returns year after year. The system must be robust, and easily and safely maintained.
Optimised
We optimise every design to maximise long term return on investment. We use simulation tools to assess layouts for shading, and make efficient use of available land or roof space under real conditions. Sizing is refined through performance modelling - balancing generation, storage, and demand to achieve the best long-term outcome.
/ what you get
Ready-to-build design documents ready for construction
We'll supply you with everything you need to go to tender confidently. Your design documents will be procurement ready - detailed enough to support competitive pricing, precise enough for construction, and robust enough to stand up in internal approvals and board-level decision making.
Complete engineering drawings
A full set of construction-ready drawings, developed to remove ambiguity from procurement and delivery. The drawings cover the framing system (and how it interfaces with the building or ground), electrical layouts for the PV array, BESS and inverters, cable routing and management, and the monitoring, communications, and SCADA systems. Safety, access, and long-term maintenance are designed in from the start, not added later.
Your documents are procurement-ready - clear for pricing, precise for construction, and robust through delivery.
Detailed project specification
A detailed specification of exactly what should be built, and the processes that should be followed. All equipment is assessed for performance, quality, warranty, support, and supply chain standards. The result is a system that’s not just cost-effective upfront, but specified to perform reliably and deliver returns over its full operating life.
Coordinated
Our designs are coordinated with the project team to avoid spatial clashes, manage impacts on the building structure, and ensure seamless integration with the building electrical system.
Design determines everything that follows
The design of the system sets its course for success for the next 30 years.
An oversized system might cut your bill by 60%, but still deliver a worse financial return than a well-sized system achieving 35%. The difference comes down to the design.
On a university campus project, we reviewed the original design concept and found shading issues, unresolved structural constraints, and capacity that hadn't been captured. We redesigned the system, resolved those issues, and fitted more solar within the same structural envelope.
For off-grid projects, the design philosophy matters as much as the numbers. An under-designed system under performs for 25 years. An over-designed system wastes capital on day one and never earns it back. Getting the sizing right is a critical part of what we do. Everything that follows - procurement, construction, 25 years of operation - is shaped by what happens in this phase.
/ What We Do
What the design phase covers
The specific engineering work that turns a feasibility recommendation into a construction-ready design. We produce each deliverable independently of any equipment supplier.
/ In-House Design Capabilities
Electrical design
The design of DC and AC electrical systems designs.
SCADA design
Data acquisition, alarms, visualisations and control systems designs.
Metering design
Metering system design for energy use and generation, including microgrid solutions.
Shading studies
Solar array layout design to minimise the impact of shading, while maintaining warranties and improving performance.
Mounting system design
Mounting system design in conjunction with structural input to ensure long term durability.
Equipment specification
Equipment selection based on long-term value: quality, reliability, warranty strength, local support, and application suitability.
Design optimisation
Optimising system sizing and configuring systems to maximise performance and return on investment.
Complete engineering drawings
3D BIM (Revit) modelling to enable seamless coordination with the design team and ensure the delivery of professional, detailed plans.
Grid connection approvals
Approvals to connect the solar and battery system to the local lines company.
/ Partner services
Geotech
We partner with geotechnical engineers to streamline ground conditions assessments to enable the effective design of PV array frames.
Planning
We partner with experienced planners to understand constraints early and ensure a successful consenting process.
Structural
We work with with structural engineers with expertise in rooftop and ground-mount framing to ensure structural constraints are identified early and fully integrated into the design.
Height safety
We collaborate with heights safety system designers to ensure the site can be safely accessed during maintenance checks, and long-term operations are considered from the outset - not left to be resolved on site.
/ Action
Before the big commitment, understand the opportunity
A solar or battery project is a multi-year decision. Our scoping engagement gives you the clarity to move forward with confidence, or the honesty to wait. You'll walk away knowing exactly what's possible, what it costs, and whether it's the right time.
/ Results
Real projects. Real outcomes.
These projects started with the same question you're asking now. Here's what happened when the answer was yes.
/ FAQ
Common questions
How long does the design phase take?
Typically six to ten weeks for a commercial rooftop system, from collating initial site data through to delivering construction-ready drawings. New-build projects may run longer because design is coordinated live with architects and structural engineers. Complex sites with battery integration, ground-mount foundations, or utility-scale specifications take longer still. We'll give you a clear timeline once we've scoped the project.
What do I need to provide for you to start?
We need to clearly understand the objectives of your project. A completed feasibility study (either ours or from another consultant) will help with this. We also need to review 12 months of interval metering data, and any existing building plans or structural assessments. For new builds, early engagement with the design team is valuable. If you're coming to us without a feasibility study, we'll recommend starting there first.
How is your design different from what an installer provides?
Our designs are different in two key ways. 1) We design for long-term reliability and performance, not just installation. The system must keep operating efficiently and be maintainable across its full life. 2) We are independent of any hardware supplier or installer. Installer-led designs are often shaped around a preferred product range or installation method. We select products based on their merits including quality, reliability, warranty and supply chain, including modern slavery considerations. We design around what best suits the site and the long-term project outcomes.
Can I use your design with any installer?
Yes. Your design documents are yours, and they're written to a standard that any qualified installer can quote against. Because the specifications are detailed, you can run a genuinely competitive tender process. You're comparing like-for-like, which keeps pricing honest and gives you real choice over who builds your project.
What happens if something changes during the design process?
It happens. Sometimes structural assessments reveal limitations, grid connection capacity changes, or a new tariff structure shifts the economics. When it does, we update the design and remodel the financial case. If the project no longer stacks up, we'll tell you. We'd rather pause a project at the design stage than push a system into construction that doesn't deliver on its business case.