A New Podcast Exploring the Future of Integrated Solar

‍

Volt is officially launching its podcast, Energy by Design. This is not a marketing series. It is a technical and architectural conversation about how solar should be integrated into the built environment. Episode 1 goes back to where it all started: the origin of Volt.

‍

‍

‍

Why We Created Energy by Design

‍

Solar is no longer optional in Australia. With evolving NCC requirements and increasing energy performance standards, solar is now embedded in residential design conversations. Yet most systems are still treated as an add on. Brackets. Rails. Panels mounted onto finished roofs. Architectural compromise has become normalised.

‍

Energy by Design was created to challenge that thinking and bring clarity to the conversation.

‍

This podcast explores:

‍
• Building integrated photovoltaics
• Roof design and structural considerations
• Installation methodology
• Long term durability
• Energy optimisation
• Partnerships across the building industry

‍

It is a platform to discuss solar not as hardware but as part of the architecture.

‍

‍

‍

‍

Episode 1: The Origin of Volt

‍

Episode 1 begins with Pete Leeson. Before Volt existed as a company, Pete was an electrician working on rooftops in 2008, installing 1.5 to 2 kilowatt systems at a time when solar was still emerging in Australia. His background in electrical and building construction gave him something many in the industry lacked, a practical understanding of how buildings actually go together. Roof structure. Batten spacing. Sarking. Waterproofing. Wind uplift. Overall fabric performance.

‍

After just a few years in renewables, one issue became obvious. Solar was being treated as an accessory. Panels were mounted after the roof was finished. Tiles were cut. Brackets were installed. Warranties were compromised. The aesthetic outcome was tolerated rather than designed.

‍

Rather than seeing this as a business opportunity, Pete saw it as a design flaw. That led to nearly a decade of exploration into building integrated photovoltaics, including facades, solar windows, wall systems and alternative substrates. The conclusion was clear. The roof was the only logical place to integrate solar properly.

‍

What followed was eight years of research and development. Working with manufacturers. Testing materials. Refining extrusion profiles. Reducing thermal mass. Improving encapsulation. Solving wind uplift. Engineering integrated cable containment.

‍

Volt is not a reaction to a trend. It is the result of a founder who understood both solar performance and building construction and refused to accept solar as an afterthought. Episode 1 is Pete taking us through that journey in his own words.

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

Solar Tiles Engineered for Architecture

‍

Volt is the company. Solar tiles are the product. Volt’s solar tiles were not created to imitate roof tiles with solar cells attached.

‍

They were engineered using established photovoltaic manufacturing principles:

‍

• Low thermal mass
• Full laminate encapsulation
• Aluminium framing
• Double glass durability
• Integrated cable management
• Mechanical interlocking for wind uplift performance

‍

The result is a system that integrates into the roof, not above it.

‍

‍

‍

‍

Built for New Builds and

Re-Roofing

‍

Volt’s solar tiles are designed for architectural new builds, full re roofs and major renovations. They are not retrofit panels inserted into ageing roof systems. This distinction is intentional. Waterproofing integrity, long term durability and performance require full integration.

‍

‍

‍

A Platform for the Industry

‍

Energy by Design is not a one off release. It is the beginning of an ongoing series where Volt will explore technical principles behind integrated solar, partnerships with roofing manufacturers, installer insights, design considerations for architects and real world project case studies.

‍

This is Volt stepping forward not just as a manufacturer but as a voice in the industry.

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

Watch Episode 1

‍

The launch episode is now live.

If you are an architect, builder or homeowner considering a design-led solar solution, this episode provides critical context behind the engineering decisions that shaped Volt’s solar tiles. This is the start of something significant.

‍

Welcome to Energy by Design.

‍

‍

‍