Is Your Factory Roof Suitable for Solar Panels?

Official sources reviewed: 15 October 2026. This guide covers planning considerations for industrial rooftop solar in Peninsular Malaysia.

A factory roof may be suitable for solar panels when a site-specific review establishes that its structure, condition, mounting arrangement and access can support the proposed installation safely. Available roof area is only one input. The assessment also needs to consider existing equipment, ongoing roof maintenance and how installation will fit around factory operations.

For a factory owner or facility manager, the useful first step is to gather building records and operational information for the project team. Roof photographs and electricity bills help start the discussion, but cannot establish structural suitability by themselves.

What should a factory roof assessment cover?

This is a briefing checklist for a professional assessment, not a pass-or-fail test for the building.

Does a metal-deck factory roof need a structural assessment?

Treat structural suitability as a design question that needs evidence. A roof being metal deck, relatively new or apparently undamaged is not enough to confirm that it can accommodate a proposed PV installation.

Ask the appointed structural professional to establish the information needed for the review. Discuss the roof sheets, purlins, primary structure, fixings and proposed mounting arrangement, together with the relevant loading and wind actions. Where drawings are missing or the building has been altered, ask what survey or investigation is needed before design conclusions can be reached.

For SELCO projects, the Energy Commission’s June 2026 guidelines, sections 5.6 and 5.11 require relevant designs, technical calculations and structural drawings to be prepared and certified by appropriately qualified persons under the applicable laws. They also distinguish electrical work from civil, building and structural work. An electrical registration alone should not be treated as evidence of structural approval.

Ask the proposal to identify the structural review scope, responsible professional and documents to be delivered. This guide does not assign a universal allowable load or mounting specification to factory roofs.

Should an ageing or leaking roof be repaired first?

Raise existing leaks, corrosion, roof warranties and planned replacement work during assessment. Ask the team to explain whether repair, replacement or further investigation is needed before the solar design is finalised.

Compare the roof maintenance plan with the intended solar operating period. If future roof work would require panels to be removed, agree who will disconnect, remove, store and reinstall the equipment, and how those costs will be handled. Record responsibility for weatherproofing and the process for investigating a leak after installation.

The quotation should distinguish roof work from the solar installation scope. A promise about panel performance does not answer questions about roof condition or workmanship responsibilities.

How do skylights and roof equipment affect solar layout?

Ask for a layout that identifies skylights, translucent sheets, vents, gutters, roof-mounted services and the routes needed to inspect and maintain them. Review whether proposed panels would affect daylight, ventilation, drainage or access to equipment.

Skylights and brittle roofing need particular attention during access planning. DOSH’s Guidelines for the Prevention of Falls at Workplaces, section 12 identifies fragile roofing, skylights, openings and roof edges as hazards. This older guidance is a reference for hazard identification; the contractor should confirm current legal and project requirements.

Any required access widths, clearances and fire-safety arrangements should be established for the project with the relevant professionals and authorities. Do not infer a standard setback for every factory from a generic panel layout.

What access is needed after the panels are installed?

The access review should cover future inspections, fault investigation and roof maintenance as well as construction. Ask how people and replacement equipment will reach the work areas and how emergency arrangements will operate.

DOSH’s work-at-height guidance advises assessing the risks, avoiding work at height where practical, preventing falls and considering rescue. It also addresses fragile surfaces, falling objects and weather conditions.

For the initial enquiry, use existing records and photographs obtained safely from accessible areas. Do not climb onto a factory roof to collect photographs for a solar quotation; arrange any necessary roof inspection through the project team.

Can installation be planned around production?

Discuss operating hours, restricted areas, sensitive processes and vehicle movements before agreeing the programme. Ask the contractor to identify lifting locations, material storage, work zones and how activities above occupied areas will be controlled.

Roof work and electrical connection work can have different operational effects. Request a schedule that identifies any electrical isolation or shutdown, the affected equipment and who will authorise the interruption. Agree communication and contingency arrangements with the factory’s operations and safety teams.

Phasing may be possible, but it should follow the assessed site conditions. A general installation timeline is not a commitment that production will continue without interruption.

Can a tenant install solar on a leased factory?

Confirm permission with the building owner and review the lease before committing to work. Identify who controls the roof, who holds the electricity account and who can approve access, alterations and future maintenance.

Ask the parties to agree responsibility for roof repairs, reinstatement and any equipment removal at lease expiry. The project’s financing arrangement and expected operating period should be considered alongside the remaining tenancy.

Roof permission and electricity-programme eligibility are separate questions. Shared premises, tenant accounts and existing solar installations should be disclosed so the applicable route can be checked.

Is roof suitability the same as solar connection approval?

No. A structural review addresses the building and proposed installation; an electrical connection assessment addresses connection to the supply system. Neither should be assumed to replace the other.

The official Solar ATAP guidelines, sections 7 and 10 call for building drawings showing the proposed rooftop installation and describe the programme’s technical connection assessment. Confirm which submissions, assessments and local approvals apply to the selected project route.

Prepare for a factory rooftop solar assessment

Share available building and roof drawings, roof age and material, repair history, warranty records and information about existing rooftop equipment. Include facility location, electricity bills, operating schedules and any planned roof or production changes. State whether the factory is owned or leased.

Ask the team to turn the findings into a written scope covering design responsibilities, required roof work, installation access and handover records.

Discuss your facility with Candela or explore our commercial and industrial Solar EPCC service. For the next planning decisions, read Solar ATAP vs SELCO for factories and industrial solar costs and payback. Include monitoring and maintenance when agreeing ongoing system care.