Why does Mark from Goodhouse Architects invest in high quality solar power systems?
Synopsis
In the current market, there is an abundance of suppliers and installers who prioritize profit over quality. The quality of panels, inverters and installation can vary greatly and some systems can be manipulated to take advantage of rebates. It is crucial to find a balance between quality and economics to ensure optimal performance and efficiency. It is important to note that payback for solar is not immediate and it takes several years to see a return on investment.
Good Houses was created to promote sustainability and ethical decision-making. People are becoming more aware of the negative impact of large homes that use an excessive amount of electricity. The advancement of solar and battery technology has made sustainable architecture more affordable and has created a larger market. Good Houses designs and delivers long-term solutions that prioritize efficiency, quality, and sustainability over immediate cost savings.
Video Transcript
It's pretty clear in this market, that there are a lot of suppliers and installers, who are quite often out to make a quick buck. There are a lot of rebates and a lot of systems that can be manipulated, and there's a lot of range in terms of quality of panels, of inverters and of instal. And you only have to drive around the streets to see that there are solar panels sometimes put on south-facing roofs, which is extraordinary that that can actually happen. So it is important that there is a good balance between the quality of the panels, the quality of all of the hardware, of the inverter and of the battery, and that needs to balance with the economics, performance and economics.
I always tell our clients that there will be cheaper systems out there. You will open the newspaper and you will see cheaper systems, but we're actually designing and delivering something for the long-term. Something that will last and something that will continue to work into the years. The payback for solar is not a quick thing. So it is a number of years that they have to work and work optimally for the payback to be there. So it is really, really important, that the efficiencies stay at as high a percentage as they possibly can.
The reason why good houses exists is because of sustainability. We are getting lots and lots and lots of people finding us, we're not advertising, but people are finding us and searching out for a sustainable solution. I think partly that is an ethical decision. So people are realising that we can't just keep building enormous McMansions that use an enormous amount of electricity, it's not the right thing to do. But I think the other thing that's changed because of the solar technology now, and the battery technology, people are realising that it's possible, that this can effect the economics of the build as well. So we never used to be able to talk about payback time with sustainable architecture, but now we can, and that's creating a much, much bigger market as well.