Beautiful commercial solar installations require strong planning and execution to provide a product that the customer will love. Every project has its own unique requirements but there are several key steps that look similar across almost every commercial new construction PV system. Physically assembling the PV system is where all of the fun happens, however, is fruitless without successful and strategic planning in the early stages.

At Sandbox+ Solar, our favorite step of any job has always been the construction phase, though it is evident just how important proper planning is to being successful in that part of the project. As the best solar installers in Northern Colorado, we make sure each step of the solar process is completed thoroughly to ensure the end result is as appealing as it is safe and functional.

Every solar installation project begins with the sales phase. Our team is here to explain what we can offer and how much your project will cost in order to meet your energy needs. After the initial offering, we will dive deeper into more technical questions and details to understand the scope of the project, your current pain points, and the solution you truly need to ensure the PV system design is completely tailored to your property. These discussions lead to the meat of what will determine how complex or simple a project will be.

At this point, meetings begin to include most of the stakeholders that will be involved throughout the lifecycle of the project. Oftentimes, these stakeholder meetings will include: the owner of the building being constructed, architects, engineers, project managers, superintendents, and anyone else who might have a stake in the outcome of the project. The takeaways from these meetings are what ultimately get implemented into the design and construction of the commercial solar energy systems.

Setting expectations for what to anticipate on the job site during commercial solar panel installations is one of the most important steps for the customer. Many of these expectations can be set through virtual meetings or phone calls but there is always a pre-construction meeting that takes place on site so that everyone can get a better visualization of what happens next.

At this time, we identify what material staging areas are needed as well as any safety concerns for either our team or others on site and how to abate them. This is also when all involved parties typically finalize where electrical gear, conduit runs, and solar arrays will be installed prior to beginning the work. One of the most frequently visited topics is how to hide the electrical gear and conduit since the building is already under construction. This is something that our solar installers are quite familiar with and have materials that allow us to provide options to the builder that can better incorporate the PV system into the new commercial building itself.

Meeting with the stakeholders of the construction project is important but it is also important that we do our own internal planning to ensure that we can get the commercial solar panel project started on time, finished on time, done within budget, and completed safely. Team size is one of the considerations that can be determined by looking at scope of work and timeline. Questions we ask for this are:

• Who do we need to supervise the project?
• How many people do we need to finish on time?
• What is the ideal number of people in order to stay on budget?

We also need to plan out how material will be transported to the site, what material handling equipment is needed to offload and stock the roof, and how to navigate potential site constraints. Each time a solar installation team is on site they will also have their own mini planning meeting to discuss what tasks need to be completed that day, what the safety risks are, and if there are any space conflicts with other trades that are operating in the same workspace.

Assuming the planning phase was successful, the fun then begins. Constructing the system based on everything that was covered during planning is what ultimately leads to the most rewarding part of every project, the finished product. Taking the approach of planning out the stages and steps of the PV system and what each one requires for success, is what leads to providing the customer with a product they will love for the next 25-30 years! Check out some of the commercial solar projects we’ve completed.

When it comes to installing solar on your new commercial property, it takes the right team to ensure proper planning, project management, and a beautifully finished product. At Sandbox+ Solar, we have the best solar installers in Northern Colorado who are dedicated to transparency, safety, and efficiency to make your project a success.