
FreshBooks
e-Builder is a cloud-based construction program management solution for capital projects that provides performance data across the project lifecycle. Facility owners can track business processes with centralized project informatio...Read more
Conest IntelliBid is a job cost estimating system designed specifically for commercial, industrial and residential electrical contractors. At its core, IntelliBid is a bid management and cost estimating system that helps contracto...Read more
Jonas Enterprise is an award-winning, paperless construction management system that contains features for bid-management, estimating, accounting, and more, all with Jonas's impressive 24-hour support. ...Read more
Flexible estimating tool to quickly and accurately create estimates, Trimble’s Accubid Estimating is a full-featured estimating solution. Available in multiple configurations, Accubid provides a flexible solution for contractors o...Read more
B2W Estimate software for heavy civil construction estimating and bidding enables contractors to bid with speed, accuracy, and strategy. Users can pre-populate a centralized database with cost data and structures for labor, tasks,...Read more
IFS Applications is an extensive software system that serves the needs of large and medium-sized manufacturers with order-driven and mixed-mode management tools and full integration capabilities....Read more
Oracle Aconex is a cloud-based operation management solution for managing information and processes between companies on complex construction and engineering projects. Several functions include document management, workflow automa...Read more
Eclipse by Explorer is a cloud-based construction accounting and project management solution designed for contractor businesses. It caters to medium to large construction companies belonging to different construction businesses, s...Read more
Builder Information System is a construction accounting and job costing for general contractors, specialty contractor, residential home builders, electrical and mechanical contractors as well as accountants. The solution provides ...Read more
Project Insight (PI) is award-winning work & project management software that helps companies manage and visualize projects, allocate personnel, streamline accounting, and track what work is being done throughout their entire orga...Read more
Visual Planning is a hybrid resource management and scheduling platform that helps businesses to manage their assets and day-to-day operations. The solution can be deployed on-premise or hosted in the cloud. Visual Planning o...Read more
Designing the layout for rooftop photovoltaic (PV) solar panels is a complicated process that many energy construction contractors need to manage while overseeing material costs and customer requirements.
Not only do contractors need to calculate the exact cost of raw materials required to install the solar panels, inverters, or power optimizers, they often also need to provide detailed return on investment (ROI) reports calculating annual energy savings for both commercial and residential customers.
All these administrative tasks can result in contractors having less time to spend on designing solar panel layouts. Enter solar design tools, which reduce administrative clutter by automating the design process and manage costs and customer requirements in a centralized dashboard.
In this buyers guide, we'll take a look at how solar design software helps automate key processes.
Here's what we'll cover:
What is Solar Software?
Common features of solar software
What type of buyer are you?
Benefits of solar software
Key considerations when purchasing solar software
Solar software (aka solar design software) helps residential and commercial solar construction businesses plan and design layouts for installing PV panels on rooftops or other locations to optimize energy efficiency. These systems also help business manage solar sales proposals by showing customers PV panel design layouts, track material costs for PV system installations, manage energy storage, and generate energy usage reports and estimates.
View of photovoltaic solar system design in HelioScope (Source)
Solar software often comes loaded with features, many of which may not be specific to your business needs.
When making your software purchase, focus on the core or common features offered by your shortlisted solutions to ensure you invest in the right tool. Here are the common features you should look for when evaluating solar software:
2D and 3D drawing |
Create 2D and 3D drawings of area layouts for PV panel installation. |
Animation |
Create 3D animations of PV panel layouts to gain a holistic view of PV electrical fittings. |
Electrical schematic design |
Create blueprints of the electrical schematics required to connect PV panels to main electrical units. |
Bill of materials |
Create a list of every part or component that makes up a product, including product numbers and quantities. |
Data import/export |
Users can import/export images, files, and PDFs as needed. |
Reporting dashboard |
View information related to solar power consumption, financial analysis, and energy savings in a single dashboard. |
Choosing the right solar software depends on the size and requirements of your solar industry business.
Here are three common types of solar software buyers and their unique considerations:
No matter which of the above three buyer segments you belong in, solar software can help your business. Let's take a look at three key benefits:
Your final step when purchasing solar software is evaluating these key areas to ensure your business makes the ideal purchase:
Note: The applications selected in this article are examples to show a feature in context and are not intended as endorsements or recommendations. They have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable at the time of publication.