Scanteak Saves $2,574/Month With Solar and a Rooftop Garden

Key Takeaways:
Scanteak’s Genting Lane furniture store now has an 83.08 kWp solar panel installation and an edible rooftop garden growing vegetables for the elderly community. On GetSolar’s $0-upfront Rent-to-Own plan, it saved an average of $2,574 a month from June to August, over $1,000 more than its monthly payment.

What if your roof could lower your business's electricity bill and grow fresh vegetables for the community at the same time? At Scanteak's flagship furniture store and office at 1 Genting Lane, it already does.

When Scanteak, Singapore's home-grown furniture brand, moved from Sungei Kadut into its new building in 2025, it gained a large, unused rooftop with strong sun exposure. We turned that space into a dual-purpose asset: an 83.08 kWp commercial solar panel installation that powers the building, alongside an edible garden that grows vegetables for elderly residents nearby.

Here's how we made solar energy and a rooftop garden work together for Scanteak, with $0 upfront and savings from month one.

Why Scanteak Brought Solar Panels and a Rooftop Garden Together

Moving into a new building gave Scanteak the chance to rethink how it used its space, and the empty rooftop was the obvious place to start. For the team, solar was part of a longer-term commitment to sustainability rather than a one-off project.

"Sustainability is becoming an important part of long-term business planning, and going solar is a practical way to support those goals while reducing energy costs."

Julia, Business Transformation Lead at Scanteak

But Scanteak wanted its roof to do more than generate power. The idea for a rooftop garden came from Julia's mother, Mrs Lim, who saw it as a meaningful way to make full use of the space and give back to the community. We brought in our rooftop garden partner, Seedfolks, to bring the idea to life, and planned the layout so the solar panels and the edible garden could share the same roof without competing for space or sunlight.

A Solar Panel Installation Planned Around the Business

Fitting solar panels and a garden onto a working building took careful planning. Scanteak's building houses both its showroom and office, along with tenants, so keeping day-to-day operations running was a priority. We flagged potential issues early, includingroof suitability, structural and safety requirements, waterproofing and access for future maintenance, so there were no surprises once installation began.

Julia credits the team for keeping the process smooth:

"Celine, Faith and Ryan from the GetSolar team have been here from the initial stage to the set up and ongoing maintenance. They have been very patient in answering our questions and problem solving any issues that we face."

Scanteak's Solar System at a Glance

Here's what now powers part of Scanteak's showroom and office:

• System size: 83.08 kWp (the system's peak output)
• Panels: 124 high-efficiency AIKO N-type panels with a 30-year warranty
• Inverter brand: Huawei
• Projected generation: about 8,308 kWh of clean solar energy a month
• Actual energy covered: about 20% of the building's electricity use (June to August)

$0 upfront, savings from month one

Scanteak is on GetSolar's 10-year Rent-to-Own plan, so it paid nothing upfront. For a fixed monthly payment of $1,380, we handle installation, monitoring, maintenance and warranties. After 10 years, Scanteak owns the system outright.

So far, Scanteak's average savings have exceeded our projections. We estimated savings of about $2,210 a month. From June to August, Scanteak saved an average of about $2,574 a month, which is over $1,000 more than itsmonthly Rent-to-Own payment. Across those three months, it came out more than $3,500 ahead, with no upfront cost.

Scanteak's electricity use has grown from 19,860 kWh in March to 31,322 kWh in August, and its savings have risen every month, from $2,025 in June to $3,284 in August. In August, the system generated about 11,280 kWh of solar energy. About 6,100 kWh powered the building directly, and the rest was exported to the grid for credits.

Here's how the numbers have moved since the system was commissioned on 8 April:

Savings include on-site solar use at the prevailing tariff, plus credits for solar exported to the grid.

Results depend on a building's roof, electricity usage and system size, so your own savings will differ.

What's Next for Scanteak

For Scanteak, the rooftop is only the first step. The brand plans to keep sourcing its teak responsibly, designing furniture that lasts and building more green partnerships.

In Julia's words:

"With the installation of solar panels and a rooftop garden, we will be able to benefit both the environment and the people around us. Ultimately, it's about extending our idea of 'Feel at Home' beyond furniture, to our families, our community, and the planet we all call home."

Hear more from Julia on why Scanteak went solar, how the rooftop garden came about and what it was like working with GetSolar.

Scanteak's rooftop went from an empty space to one that powers the building itself, grows food for the community and saves money every month. This project shows what's possible when a business pairs a bit of creativity with the right solar partner.

Julia has one piece of advice for other businesses:

"I would recommend a partner like GetSolar as they made the process much smoother and more efficient. For businesses with suitable rooftop space, I would encourage them to explore solar as an option."

Ready to make sustainability part of your business?

If your showroom, office or light industrial building has unused rooftop space, solar is a practical first step towards your sustainability goals, just as it was for Scanteak. Try GetSolar's free solar calculator to see how much your business could save with $0 upfront on our Rent-to-Own plan.

Want to see how other businesses have done it? Read how a Gul Street manufacturer saved $3,961 in its first month, or how Flows Ong put solar on a 40-year-old roof and cut its energy bill by 70%.