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Multi-occupancy properties
If you want to install solar on a multi-occupancy residential or commercial property, getting solar can be a little more complicated than for a freestanding or semi-detached house or business. Multi-occupancy properties include apartment or unit blocks, townhouses and multi-occupancy commercial buildings.
SunSPOT can be used for apartments, units or townhouses in some cases:
To find out if solar can meet the electricity usage in common areas of the property. To get an accurate estimate in this case, you will need smart meter data for the common property and details about the current electricity tariffs. Alternatively, you can go back a step and select “Commercial” for the property type and select a strata load profile from the drop-down menu (find out more below). SunSPOT can then suggest a solar system size that will pay itself back in 5 years, or as close as possible. You can then try to map a system of this size onto the building’s roof.
To find a solar system size that could meet your energy usage needs for a single unit or apartment. However, if you are looking to install solar for a single site within a block you will need permission from the strata body. In some circumstances, a large solar system can be installed to supply many sites in a block, but the current version of SunSPOT is not configured for these systems.
SunSPOT is most suitable for estimating the solar savings for houses (freestanding, semi-detached and terraces). It is also suitable for commercial buildings where interval meter data is available.
Commercial buildings
If you don’t have smart meter data for the commercial property that you’d like to use SunSPOT for, you can still get an estimate of the building’s solar potential by selecting the closest business type from the dropdown menu. SunSPOT will use an existing load profile (data that shows when electricity gets used each day) for that business type along with the given average daily usage to calculate your bill and savings estimates.
Because these load profiles are not based on your actual usage, appliances, or specific building characteristics, your bill and savings estimates may not be very accurate. For the most accurate results, find and upload smart meter data for the property.
Which business type should I choose?
If you’re not sure which option to choose or your business is not on the list, select the business type that uses electricity at the same or similar times of day as your business.
We’ve added charts below for each option to that show the average electricity usage for a day in each season to help you choose the closest one. Use the charts to find out when each business uses electricity and compare against your business usage.
Strata common property
Residential units only, up to 4 storey walk-ups with no lift, no pool and no central air-conditioning.
4+ storey apartment blocks with one or more lifts and no central air-conditioning. These blocks can contain a mix of residential and commercial units.
4+ storey apartment blocks with one or more lifts and with central air-conditioning. These blocks can contain a mix of residential and commercial units.
Central air conditioning refers to ducted air conditioning that services multiple units, rooms or areas within the apartment block.
Each of the three strata options only includes common property loads, which could include usage from sources such as intercoms, lift operation, common property lighting, car park exhaust fans and central air conditioning that services multiple lots in the block.
Pools and leisure centres
This includes facilities with one or more heated outdoor pools that only opens seasonally, including all of summer and some of late spring/early autumn.
This includes facilities with one or more heated outdoor pools that are open year-round. This facility does not have a kiosk.
This includes facilities with both indoor and outdoor heated pools, and is open year-round. This facility also has an on-site kiosk.
Retail and hospitality
High daytime usage from around 8am-5pm, with some evening usage and less overnight load.
Usage level depends on season, being highest in summer. Electricity is used all day, with a dip in the early morning and a small peak around 6pm.
Mostly daytime usage, starting from 7am. Usage gradually decreases into the evening with small overnight load.
Low steady overnight usage, with a sharp increase from 8am and high usage until a sharp decrease at 10pm.
High all-day usage likely from refrigeration, with most electricity used between 12-4pm.
Offices and hospitals
Typical daytime usage with low overnight load, uses the most electricity between 8am-5pm.
Mostly daytime usage starting sharply from 7am and lowering around 7pm, with consistent low overnight load.
Uses electricity all day including overnight, with a small dip around 6am. Higher usage between 8am-6pm.
Industrial processes and manufacturing
Consistent overnight load, with increased usage between 8am-4pm. More electricity is used in summer than other seasons.
Low, flat overnight usage, sharply increasing at 6am and staying high and mostly flat until around 10pm. A small dip in usage around 10am.
Very consistent high levels of usage through all hours, with slight increases around 11am and 9pm.
These profiles can give you a high level estimate of the potential benefits of solar and batteries, but for the most accurate results for your own property please find and upload your actual meter data (more info on how to do that here).