Design QA

PURPOSE: The purpose of this Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is to establish a systematic and comprehensive Quality Assurance (QA) process for the PV Design Team. The SOP outlines the steps to ensure the accuracy and excellence of our solar system designs before delivering final pdf documentation to customers. The QA review will encompass the following steps:

TRAINING MATERIALS:

CHECKLIST OF STEPS: 

1. Data Collection

2. Modeling Accuracy (House, Trees, Obstructions)

3. AHJ Compliance Check:

4. PDF-Based QA Review:

5. Final Check for Discrepancies:

6. Continuous Improvement:

• Independent Data Collection:

  1. Before reviewing the designer’s work, collect customer data independently (name, address, CIA details, utility bill). Do not rely on pre-filled information provided by the designer.

  2. Use this independently gathered data as the basis for your review.

• Modeling Verification:

  1. Perform a review of the Aurora model using your own collected data.

  2. Verify that the house layout, dimensions, and any obstructions (trees, buildings) are modeled accurately.

  3. Ensure the azimuth, tilt angles, and shading factors are correct and optimized for energy production.

• AHJ Compliance Check:

  1. Confirm the correct jurisdiction for the project.

  2. Verify that all relevant local building codes, permits, and regulations have been followed.

  3. Ensure AHJ requirements are met and properly documented.

• PDF-Based QA Review:

  1. Conduct your QA review based on the printed and uploaded PDF deliverables, not just the tool inputs.

  2. Ensure that the PDFs reflect the actual design and are free of errors.

  3. Look for and correct any discrepancies in the PDFs, such as #NA values, missing information, or formatting errors.

  4. Ensure the PDFs are complete, accurate, and customer-ready.

• Final Check for Discrepancies:

  1. Cross-check the PDFs and independently collected data for any inconsistencies between the inputs and final deliverables.

  2. Verify that all information is accurate and clean, ensuring no issues were overlooked.

• Continuous Improvement:

  1. Encourage regular feedback and update the SOP based on ongoing lessons learned to refine and improve the QA process.

QA for New Designers

• Revised Designs QA for:
  When a designer is on QA and an error is identified during the QA process, the supervisor must continually QA each revised design until the design is 100% accurate and ready for delivery.

  • This ensures that all errors are corrected and that the designer maintains consistent quality improvements.