Energy Manager Today/Alyssa Danigelis : CA Building Code Requires Rooftop Solar for New Apartment Buildings

Energy Manager Today

News and Best Practices for
Commercial & Industrial Energy Managers
Skip to content
Menu

    emp-logo-new

CA Building Code Requires Rooftop Solar for New Apartment Buildings
May 10, 2018 by Alyssa Danigelis   
California rooftop solar building code change
(Photo Credit: IRFTS Easy Roof, Flickr Creative Commons)

The California Energy Commission voted unanimously this week to update the state’s building code to require rooftop solar panels on all new apartment building and condo construction starting January 1, 2020. This change would make California the only state with such a rule, SCPR reported.

“Every three years, the Energy Commission recommends updates to the state’s energy efficiency building codes,” SCPR’s Emily Guerin reported. The move is part of a larger goal in the state to reduce emissions by 40% below 1990 levels by 2030.

New condos and apartments up to three stories high being built will be required to have solar PV systems, the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Rob Nikolewski noted. Shaded and taller buildings that can’t accommodate rooftop systems will be eligible for exceptions or alternatives.

Although the commission projects that the long-term benefits solar panels will outweigh the upfront costs, the investment won’t be insignificant. Nikolewski reported that contractors in San Diego area estimate the code change will add about $20,000 to construction costs, depending on the size of the home.

Bob Raymer, technical director for the California Building Industry Association, told the San Bernardino Sun that the revisions would add an estimated $8,400 to $12,400 to the current cost.

“Raymer said homebuilders may be able to pass on the added costs to consumers in cooler parts of the state, where less solar will be needed,” the Sun’s Jeff Collins wrote. “But builders in hotter areas like Sacramento or Fresno may have to absorb some of the costs, he said.”

An energy commission senior engineer told the commission that the new building code will cut carbon dioxide emissions by almost 30% per home, Collins reported. KB Home’s vice president of sustainability initiatives Jacob Atalla told the Sun that the building code change was no surprise for the LA-based homebuilding company. “The California Energy Commission and the government have signaled this in past years by ramping up the code, and we have been preparing for it.”

The change also comes at a time when solar installers are dealing with Trump’s tariffs on solar panels made abroad and estimating that the new tariff’s on imported steel and aluminum could raise the price of racking systems for the home market by $100 to $200, according to Nikolewski.

“Anything that’s going to expand the market and increase awareness is great,” Barry Cinnamon, CEO of San Jose-based Spice Solar, which specializes in residential installations, told the paper.

The 3rd Annual Environmental Leader & Energy Manager Conference takes place May 15 – 17, 2018 in Denver. Learn more here.
Categories Building Systems, Energy Management, Featured, Multi-family, Real Estate, Roofs, SolarTags apartment buildings, building codes, California Energy Commission, construction, KB Homes, Residential, rooftop solar, solar photovoltaics, solar power   
Post navigation
Hawaii Passes Nation’s Most Ambitious Carbon Neutrality Goal
Product Announcement: Proterra Power Control Systems
GHS Label Guide
Sponsored By: VelocityEHS

 
Choosing the Correct Emission Control Technology
Sponsored By: Anguil Environmental Systems

 
Avoid the RFP Trap: The Smart Guide to Purchasing EHS Software
Sponsored By: VelocityEHS

 
Leveraging EHS Software in Support of Culture Changes
Sponsored By: VelocityEHS

 
Leave a Comment

NEWSLETTER
NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Join 100,000+ subscribers who gain a competitive advantage with our news and analysis.
Select the newsletters that interest you: Energy Manager Today Newsletter (Mon, Wed, Fri) Environmental Leader Newsletter (Mon, Wed, Fri)
Centrica - Click Here.

Energy Manager Summit & Energy Manager 2018 - Click Here.

Centrica - Click Here.

Leaders Leading

    Meet Sarah Roberts, Publisher – Business Sector Media

Upcoming Webinars

    Combined Heat and Power (CHP): Applications & Best...

Best Practices

    ‘Energy Transition Framework for Cities’ Unveils Best Practices for a Decarbonized Future

Read More Best Practices

Sponsored By Transformative Wave


FEATURED SUPPLIERS
Anguil Environmental Systems
EnerNOC, Inc.
Lucid
VelocityEHS
View All Suppliers >
WHITE PAPERS
SiteWatch The Future of Operations and Energy Management
Sponsored By:
Applied Energy Partners
EHS Sustainability Infographic
Sponsored By:
VelocityEHS
Staying Ahead of the Curve Strategies for Managing Emerging Regulations NAEM
Sponsored By:
VelocityEHS
Planning for a Sustainable Future
Sponsored By:
VelocityEHS
Five Steps to HazCom Compliance
Sponsored By:
VelocityEHS
GHS Label Guide
Sponsored By:
VelocityEHS
OSHA ITA Cheat Sheet
Sponsored By:
VelocityEHS
OSHA Written HazCom Plan
Sponsored By:
VelocityEHS
Incident Management 101
Sponsored By:
VelocityEHS
Avoid the RFP Trap The Smart Guide to Purchasing EHS Software
Sponsored By:
VelocityEHS
View All White Papers >
UPCOMING WEBINARS

    Combined Heat and Power (CHP): Applications & Best Practices
    Virginia’s Energy Cost-Saving Opportunities: Case Studies with Competitive Service Providers


ON DEMAND WEBINARS

    Leverage Your Generator Assets to Generate Revenue
    Energy Missteps to Avoid in ERCOT
    Negotiating Energy Contracts – 10 Terms You Need to Know
    Mexico’s Deregulated Energy Markets: How to Reduce Costs and Protect Budgets
    Why Aligning Renewable and Commodity Energy Purchases Makes Strategic Sense


See More Webinars >

FOLLOW US social-footer-twittersocial-footer-linkedinsocial-footer-facebooksocial-footer-googlesocial-footer-youtubesocial-footer-rss
PRIVACY POLICY | ABOUT US | SEND A STORY | ADVERTISE
© Copyright 2018 Energy Manager Today ® is a registered trademark of Business Sector Media LLC.
Translate »