Decarbonising the Block Without Compromising the Building

managing agents face a new challenge: making sure decarbonisation works alongside fire safety,

electrical infrastructure, planned maintenance and the day-to-day realities of managing an occupied

block.

For many managing agents, solar is no longer something being discussed only for new

developments.

Freeholders, RMCs and residents are increasingly asking whether existing blocks could benefit from

renewable technologies, while individual leaseholders now have greater access to smaller systems of

their own.

This is positive. But it also means managing agents need to understand a new category of building

infrastructure.

The question is no longer simply: Could we put solar panels on the roof?

It is: How does this technology fit safely and practically into the building for the next 20 years?

Start with the block, not the panels

Every residential building is different, which means decarbonisation should begin with understanding

the building itself.

Before discussing the number of panels or potential generation, consider the roof construction and

condition, existing plant, access arrangements, electrical infrastructure and future maintenance

requirements.

If major roof works are likely within the next few years, for example, installing solar without

considering those works could create unnecessary future costs. Panels may need to be removed and

reinstated simply to allow planned repairs to take place.

Managing agents should also consider how contractors will access the equipment once installed,

where cabling will run, where inverters and isolation equipment will sit and whether existing electrical

infrastructure is suitable for the proposed system.

This is particularly important when retrofitting older blocks that were never designed around

renewable technology.

A successful solar installation should work with the building rather than simply fit onto the available

roof space.

Installation is only the beginning

One of the biggest changes in how we need to think about solar is recognising that installation is the

start of the asset's lifecycle, not the end of the project.

Solar panels may remain on a building for decades.

During that time, components will age, roofs will require maintenance and other contractors may need

to work around the installation.

This is where planned preventative maintenance (PPM) becomes important.

Once solar forms part of a building's infrastructure, it should also form part of its wider maintenance

strategy. Appropriate inspections can help identify damage, deterioration, loose or compromised

connections and other developing issues, while also helping to ensure the system continues to

perform as intended.

The same principle already applies across so much of block management. We would not install other

significant electrical or life-safety systems and then ignore them for the next 20 years. Renewable

technology should be approached with the same whole-life mindset.

Good record keeping is equally important.

Managing agents should know what has been installed, when it was commissioned, where isolation

points are located and what maintenance requirements apply. Relevant drawings, warranties,

commissioning information and O&M documentation should be retained and accessible.

This becomes particularly valuable when managing agents change, contractors change or major

works are planned years after the original installation.

Battery storage adds another consideration

Battery storage is increasingly being discussed alongside solar because it allows electricity generated

during the day to be stored and used later.

For residential blocks, this can help maximise the value of renewable generation, but batteries

introduce their own practical considerations.

Location is particularly important.

A battery should not simply be installed wherever spare space happens to be available. Its position in

relation to escape routes, communal areas and other equipment needs to be considered alongside

access, ventilation, manufacturer requirements and how the equipment will be inspected and

maintained.

Again, there is no single answer that applies to every development.

The right solution for a modern purpose-built block may be completely different from that of a

converted building or older estate.

That is why the building needs to lead the design.

Plug-in solar changes the conversation for managing agents

Perhaps one of the biggest developments for residential property managers is the arrival of plug-in

solar.

From 27 August 2026, compliant plug-in solar systems became legal to buy and use across Great

Britain.

These smaller systems can generate up to 800W and are designed to connect into a home's electrical

installation through a standard plug and socket.

For someone living in a flat with a balcony or terrace, the appeal is obvious. Solar becomes

something a resident could potentially purchase themselves rather than a major project

commissioned by the freeholder or managing agent.

However, this creates a new set of questions for those responsible for the wider building.

A product being legal to purchase and operate does not automatically mean that every balcony,

terrace or location within a residential development is appropriate for one.

Managing agents may need to consider whether panels could affect an escape route, walkway,

window or shared area; how they will be secured; what the balcony or external wall is constructed

from; whether the building is undergoing remediation; and whether suitable electrical arrangements

are available.

There is also the lease to consider.

Depending on the development, alterations to balconies, terraces or external areas may require

consent, even where those areas are demised to the leaseholder.

This means managing agents could increasingly start receiving questions from residents about

whether they can install their own solar equipment.

Being prepared for those requests will be much easier than trying to manage installations

retrospectively.

Does your block need a plug-in solar policy?

For managing agents overseeing multiple developments, it may be worth establishing a

straightforward process for dealing with plug-in solar requests.

This does not necessarily mean introducing a blanket ban.

In fact, clear guidance can make responsible adoption easier.

Residents could be asked to notify the managing agent or obtain approval before installation,

providing basic information about the proposed system, its location and how it will be secured and

connected.

The process can then consider the specific characteristics of the block, including lease requirements,

fire strategy, communal access and any planned external or remediation works.

There may be buildings where an installation is perfectly manageable and others where the location

makes it unsuitable.

The important thing is that managing agents know what has been installed.

Without a process in place, there is a risk that equipment begins appearing on balconies without the

property manager, freeholder or RMC having any record of it.

Think about the whole electrical picture

Solar also cannot be considered in isolation from the wider electrification of residential buildings.

Many blocks are simultaneously considering EV charging, LED upgrades, heat pumps, battery

storage and other electrical technologies.

Each individual project may make sense, but collectively they change how a building uses and

manages electricity.

For managing agents, this makes understanding existing electrical infrastructure increasingly

important.

What capacity is available? What equipment has already been added? What further projects are

anticipated over the next five or ten years?

Taking a longer-term view can prevent individual technologies being installed independently without

considering what comes next.

It can also help inform CAPEX and long-term maintenance planning.

Decarbonisation is an ongoing responsibility

There is huge potential for residential buildings to become more energy efficient, less carbon

intensive and smarter in the way they generate and use electricity.

But the most successful projects will be those that consider the entire lifecycle.

For managing agents, that means looking beyond the initial installation and considering access,

electrical infrastructure, fire safety, resident communication, documentation, PPM and eventual

replacement from the beginning.

It also means recognising that resident-led technologies such as plug-in solar will increasingly form

part of the conversation.

Decarbonisation should make buildings better – not harder to manage.

The role of the managing agent is not necessarily to become an expert in every new technology. It is

to ask the right questions, involve competent specialists where required and make sure new

infrastructure fits into the wider management strategy for the block.

Because the buildings we manage are changing.

Our approach to maintaining them needs to change with them.

By Lewis Moss, Head of Decarbonisation

Future Decarbonise – Future Group of Companies