Can Condominiums Install Solar? The Legal Basics You Need to Know
Condominiums differ from single homes in one key way: the decision to go solar isn't up to one owner — it goes through the condominium's juristic person and co-owners. This article summarizes what to know before starting that process.
Who Actually Has the Authority to Decide
Rooftop and common areas of a condominium are common property under Thailand's Condominium Act. Installing solar panels there requires a resolution from the co-owners as set out in the juristic person's regulations. Modifications to common property that affect the building's structure or appearance generally require a special majority vote at the general co-owners meeting. The right starting point is having the management committee bring the matter forward for formal consideration.
Building Modification Permits
Installing rooftop solar counts as a building modification under building control law, so it requires notification or a permit from the relevant local authority. A licensed engineer needs to certify the structural calculations confirming the roof or rooftop deck can safely bear the added weight of the panels and mounting structure — this documentation is typically required as part of the permit application.
Consider the Impact on Other Co-Owners Carefully
Even though the rooftop isn't a space most residents use regularly, other impacts deserve consideration — glare from panels affecting neighboring buildings, noise from certain electrical equipment, and future rooftop access for maintenance. Communicating the plan transparently with co-owners upfront reduces the chance of disputes later.
Investment Structure and Benefit Sharing
The juristic person should decide in advance what the generated electricity will power — common-area lighting, elevators, water pumps — and how the resulting savings will flow back into the common-area fees every co-owner pays. Clarity here makes it much easier to get the resolution passed, since co-owners can see a tangible benefit.
Where to Start
The best starting point is having the management committee contact a provider experienced with condominiums or commercial buildings for an initial assessment and a cost-benefit estimate to bring to the general meeting. Clear numbers make the approval process at the co-owners meeting go much more smoothly.
Let us help prepare the case for your general meeting
STR has experience working with commercial and condominium buildings, and can help assess feasibility and prepare the materials needed to present a solar proposal to co-owners.
Get a Free Quote