Legislation has been passed in San Francisco making the installation of solar panels or solar hot water systems compulsory for new residential and commercial buildings.
The legislation, which was originally introduced by San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener in February, was passed unanimously and will apply to new building applications lodged from January 1, 2017.
“Activating underutilized roof space is a smart and efficient way to promote the use of solar energy and improve our environment,” said Mr. Wiener.
” We need to continue to pursue aggressive renewable energy policies to ensure a sustainable future for our city and our region.”
California already has legislation in place requiring 15% of the roof area on new small and mid-sized buildings up to ten stories to be “solar ready”. San Francisco’s move will help see that space actually utilised.
The amended approved ordinance, Green Building, Environment Codes – Better Roof Requirements for Renewable Energy Facilities, can be viewed here (PDF).
In December 2010, a goal was set to transition San Francisco to 100% renewable power.
San Francisco has a special interest in the battle to reduce carbon emissions. Located on the tip of a peninsula, the city is vulnerable to sea level rise. It’s already experiencing some effects as rising sea levels threaten the city’s shoreline and infrastructure, have caused significant erosion and required the city to invest in modification of the sewer system.
While San Francisco is now the first * major* city in the USA requiring solar panels or solar hot water systems to be installed on new construction, it’s not the first city in the nation to make solar mandatory.
In March 2013, Lancaster in California became the first US city to require solar installations on new residential construction. Lancaster was closely followed by Sebastopol in May 2013; which requires solar on new residential and commercial construction, as well as renovations.
Elsewhere around the world, the government of Haryana in the north of India has made solar compulsory for some buildings and Nepal’s government will require solar power systems on all government and commercial buildings in Kathmandu.
In Australia, the new Canberra suburb of Denman Prospect will see each home have a minimum 3kW array of solar panels installed. Solar power systems have also been mandatory in the City of Nedlands in Perth for new homes and some commercial buildings since 2014.
