flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Turn rooftops into revenue generators with solar arrays

Codes and Standards

Turn rooftops into revenue generators with solar arrays

Lease or ownership models for PVs make more sense than ever.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | November 4, 2020

Courtesy Pixabay

The benefits of installing solar arrays on the rooftops of commercial buildings continue to grow.

Reduced hard costs due to falling prices, along with a more favorable regulatory environment, have magnified potential income from rooftop solar. The most common financial arrangement has been for the property owner to own the solar system, pay for the installation, and use the energy generated by the system to offset utility costs via net metering.

Another option is a solar site lease model. The owner of the property leases roof space to an experienced solar developer that finances and owns the solar array. The owner of the property makes money from rooftop lease payments—typically for 20+ years.

A similar option to solar site leases is a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), in which the property owner signs a contract to purchase electricity generated by the array at rates below the utility retail rate. The solar developer pays for the system and uses the roof space at no cost.

Beyond such direct financial benefits, rooftop solar can help properties achieve compliance with ever more stringent environmental regulations. For example, some jurisdictions have passed laws that will penalize buildings that have not taken steps to reduce their carbon emissions.

Related Stories

| Mar 4, 2014

Massachusetts Congressional delegation asks FEMA to slow flood zone map requirements

After a recent successful challenge of the scientific methodology used to redraw the coastal high-hazard zones, the Massachusetts congressional delegation is asking federal officials to put the brakes on new flood zone maps for the Bay State.

| Mar 3, 2014

Injury-liability law responsible for higher construction insurance cost in New York

Construction contractors and developers in New York state face $3 billion more in costs and 667 more accidents per year because of a state law that holds builders solely liable for such accidents, according to a study commissioned by the New York Civil Justice Institute.

| Feb 28, 2014

GBI issues guide to help federal agencies meet sustainability mandates

The Green Building Initiative has released “The Guiding Principles Compliance for New Construction,” for federal buildings to help federal agencies meet sustainability mandates in the construction of new buildings.

| Feb 28, 2014

Steel Joist Institute standards open for review

The 2015 draft of the Steel Joist Institute’s “Single Joist Standard Specification for K-, LH-, and DLH-Series and Joist Girders” will be available for public review until May 31, 2014.

| Feb 28, 2014

Metcalf Construction wins key reversal from federal appeals court in Hawaii on military contract

Metcalf spent more than $76 million on a military construction project and sued to recoup costs.

| Feb 19, 2014

Obama Administration moves to boost fuel efficiency standards on heavy-duty vehicles

The Obama Administration wants to boost fuel efficiency of medium- and heavy-duty trucks for models made in 2019 and later.

| Feb 19, 2014

Net Positive Energy + Water is latest green certification standard

The advancement of sustainable construction has reached a new milestone with the development of Net Positive Energy+Water, a new green building certification standard that aims to improve net zero approaches to energy and water conservation.

| Feb 19, 2014

Obama’s climate resilience panel says PVs, cool roofs should be part of solution

Among the suggestions were rooftop solar energy systems and cool roofs, which could be encouraged by policies from local governments.

| Feb 19, 2014

OSHA proposes three-year postponement of crane operator certification requirement

OSHA’s proposal to postpone the compliance date for crane operator certification by three years was made official on Feb. 7 when it was published in the Federal Register.

| Feb 19, 2014

USGBC introduces new online educational platform

The U.S. Green Building Council has introduced “Education @USGBC” a new educational platform.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category

Sustainability

Grimshaw launches free online tool to help accelerate decarbonization of buildings

Minoro, an online platform to help accelerate the decarbonization of buildings, was recently launched by architecture firm Grimshaw, in collaboration with more than 20 supporting organizations including World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), RIBA, Architecture 2030, the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) and several national Green Building Councils from across the globe.




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021