Colorado Solar Law
Yesterday, I attended a seminar on what Colorado’s new Solar Law is all about, and how it applies to builders. In a nutshell, this law, which goes into effect August 5th 2009, would require builders to offer 3 options to homeowners: 1) An option to provide a conduit system for eventual wiring/plumbing of systems; 2) Actually prewire/plumb for future systems; 3)Install either a PV or Thermal system, or both. These are only options that buyers would have to pay for, and buyers can turn down all of them. Also, this law is not retroactive to existing homes, homes that are under construction. Also, if a builder builds a spec home, does not install any of these options, and the home is sold after it is no longer feasible to install these options, then there is no retrofit required or need to offer the options. The builder may wish too do it anyway, but it isn’t required. In my opinion, the prewire option is only a few hundred bucks, so why not just put it in anyway?
I am all for alternative energy, particularly solar, and hope that the costs keep coming down. However, I can see some unintended consequences (therefore lawsuits) coming down the pike over the next several years. One of which is basic design. Some roofs simply have too many vents, pipes, chimneys, and other clutter to prevent installation of an effective solar system. Right now the state law does not require any modification of design to accomodate solar systems, but I can see that one coming.
And what about shading? If a two story home is built next to a one story home, and then the one story home no longer has adequate exposure to solar, will there be lawsuits here? If you have a lot next to a ranch home, will you have to specifically design your home to preserve solar access for the existing home? The law does not require you too, but will that come?
And finally, there is the matter of landscaping. For decades, people have been encouraged to plant large trees on the south side of their home to provide shading and reduce the AC load. However, trees also reduce the ability of solar systems to perform. So if we quite planting trees on the south side, have the calcs been done to accomodate for the extra AC loading? For that matter, will we now have to carefully consider the placement of trees so as to not block an adjacent properties solar access?
I realize that all of my points are rather oversimplified, but I am trying to make a point. While I am all for solar energy, I also strongly believe in personal property rights, so what kind of slippery slope are we going to wander around on to protect ones persons personal property rights, and anothers rights to solar access?
Out of this seminar, I also did get a lot of good information on solar technologies, costs, rebates, etc., so it was a great conference for me. Well worth the $25.
