A San Francisco city councilor will propose a new regulation that could soon mandate solar panels on most new construction in the city and on many existing apartment buildings.
David Chiu, president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, says he will introduce the resolution to require all new buildings include solar panels, rooftop gardens, or both. The rule would apply to commercial and residential buildings alike, wherever feasible.
Chiu says some skyscrapers with rooftop mechanical systems may not have the space for PVs and that many single-family dwellings would not be suitable even if the owners could afford them. Chiu’s Solar Vision 2020 proposal would curb the city’s greenhouse gas emissions and boost the thriving local solar industry.
It would make permanent an existing city program that gives homeowners, businesses, and nonprofit groups money to defray the cost of installing solar arrays. It would also establish a goal of roughly doubling the amount of solar electricity generated in the city, from 26 megawatts today to 50 megawatts in 2020. The director of the urban development group Housing Action Coalition warned that the program could boost construction costs in a city with a shortage of affordable housing.
(http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Proposed-S-F-law-would-put-a-solar-panel-on-5827997.php)
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | May 12, 2021
White paper examines how to reduce pathogen transmission in ventilation
Pressure barriers and airflow distribution can be effective in existing buildings.
Codes and Standards | May 11, 2021
Pressure builds on White House to rein in cost of lumber
Spike in prices has added nearly $36,000 to price of average new home.
Codes and Standards | May 11, 2021
Residential codes should be upgraded to protect from cooking pollutants
Report examines ventilation standards, calls for increased public awareness of issue.
Codes and Standards | May 6, 2021
Blue roofs can provide relief to overwhelmed stormwater systems
Benefits most evident in industrial commercial areas.
Codes and Standards | May 5, 2021
Majority of schools took steps to improve air quality during pandemic
Districts still have unmet needs, face high costs and outdated building infrastructure.
Codes and Standards | May 4, 2021
Cost to keep Miami dry over next few decades is $4 billion
Rising seas demand big investment.
Codes and Standards | May 3, 2021
Fire stops critical to preserving three-decker housing
Old multi-family structures continue to provide badly needed homes in urban zones.
Codes and Standards | Apr 29, 2021
Dept. of Energy publishes energy savings analysis for ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2019
More than 4% savings for commercial buildings found for the updated code.
Codes and Standards | Apr 28, 2021
Building-integrated solar power turns buildings into power plants
Multiple alternatives could replace or complement rack-mounted PV arrays.
Codes and Standards | Apr 27, 2021
Ten real estate groups sign on to New York State’s high-rise decarbonization challenge
Each signee commits to carbon neutrality in one or more high-rise buildings it owns.