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New homes will now require solar panels in South Miami, a first in Florida

azgreg

azgreg

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South Miami passes law requiring solar panels in new homes - first in state | Miami Herald

Anyone building a new house in South Miami — or in some cases renovating existing ones — will have to install solar panels after the city commission approved a groundbreaking law Tuesday night.

The measure, the first of its kind in Florida, will go into effect in two months on Sept 18.

The ordinance passed 4-1 Tuesday night, with commissioner Josh Liebman dissenting.

Under the rules, new residential construction would require 175 square feet of solar panel to be installed per 1,000 square feet of sunlit roof area, or 2.75 kw per 1,000 square feet of living space, whichever is less. If the house is built under existing trees, the shade may exempt it.

Home renovations that replace more than 75 percent of the structure or extend the structure by more than 75 percent would also have to follow the new ordinance.
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Pretty interesting. I'm awful curious to see how this turns out.
 
joG said:
That'll make Musk happy.
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Why, he is not competitive in the solar market?
Builder will use the lowest cost option to meet the requirements,
that likely would not be solar city.
 
Wonderful, add another 16 grand to New homes built with contractor grade components and slapped together with give a **** attitudes.
 
holbritter said:
It will turn out that only well off people will be able to build new or do a major renovation. Solar is not cheap enough.
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I do not think so, if the architectural/engineering plans include the solar, the cost could be reduced to that of the system only.
A 3000 square foot house would need 8.25 Kw installed, here is a system for something like that, retail $13,518.
https://www.wholesalesolar.com/1890...-microinverters-and-32x-astronergy-260-panels
The tax credit could be passed to the home buyer, but the builder could also get a volume price.
At todays mortgage rates, an extra $13 k would be like $7 a month, the system could save over $100 a month.
 
Sounds like a plan to me.

I have some sympathy with the "no choice" objection. However, I don't see this as much different than building codes requiring plumbing, electrical, standards for HVAC and so forth.
 
Visbek said:
Sounds like a plan to me.

I have some sympathy with the "no choice" objection. However, I don't see this as much different than building codes requiring plumbing, electrical, standards for HVAC and so forth.
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I see this as being no different that requiring double pane windows or better insulation.
It also bring to bare the economies of scale, the builder can likely get better bulk rates for the panel systems.
As I said above the difference in the monthly payment would be minimal, and the savings would more than make
up for the higher payment.
 
longview said:
I do not think so, if the architectural/engineering plans include the solar, the cost could be reduced to that of the system only.
A 3000 square foot house would need 8.25 Kw installed, here is a system for something like that, retail $13,518.
https://www.wholesalesolar.com/1890...-microinverters-and-32x-astronergy-260-panels
The tax credit could be passed to the home buyer, but the builder could also get a volume price.
At todays mortgage rates, an extra $13 k would be like $7 a month, the system could save over $100 a month.
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But I am sick and tired of subsidizing others with my tax dollars.
 
Lord of Planar said:
But I am sick and tired of subsidizing others with my tax dollars.
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It is questionable if it would be subsidized, the current round of tax credits for solar are set to expire.
I am not in favor of Government mandates, but this is a fairly modest requirement, not much different than
saying new construction needs to meet insulation and efficient appliance requirements.
As I have shown above, If the build past the cost of the system on to the home buyer,
the monthly savings would exceed the added expense by several times.
I suspect care should be taken to ensure the builders do not attempt to gouge the home buyer.
 
longview said:
It is questionable if it would be subsidized, the current round of tax credits for solar are set to expire.
I am not in favor of Government mandates, but this is a fairly modest requirement, not much different than
saying new construction needs to meet insulation and efficient appliance requirements.
As I have shown above, If the build past the cost of the system on to the home buyer,
the monthly savings would exceed the added expense by several times.
I suspect care should be taken to ensure the builders do not attempt to gouge the home buyer.
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You're right. It is a joke. It is something that simply buys votes of the ignorant. Either do it right, or leave it alone.
 
RetiredUSN said:
Wonderful, add another 16 grand to New homes built with contractor grade components and slapped together with give a **** attitudes.
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I hear ya, but I just want to bitch that even expensive stuff, often ends up with contractor grade ****, slapped together. I'm guessing, as I have not yet had the need to build again, that only if you get lucky with a really good full custom builder, and ride them basically the entire time (and after for a year), will a person have any reasonable hope of getting something better.

I'm just gonna have to also say that it's even worse when it's a DOCTOR that operates this way..with your body/life. My step mother keeps telling me just to fly to Mayo Clinic if it matters, and I am starting to believe her. Hard to find good help, and when you do, they are usually retiring next week or switching industries :p Sorry, it just triggered me :)
 
Lord of Planar said:
You're right. It is a joke. It is something that simply buys votes of the ignorant. Either do it right, or leave it alone.
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I often see cries for the Government to do "something" about AGW. I am not concerned about AGW,
but do see some benefit to having a widely dispersed electrical sources.
Changes in building codes are fairly common, and for the most part are for the benefit
of the consumer. (Better foundations, Better insulation, better wiring, ect.).
As long as the home builders do not try and skin the new home buyers, I see a minimum solar requirement
as a good step forward, and one we are likely to see more of.
 
Mach said:
I hear ya, but I just want to bitch that even expensive stuff, often ends up with contractor grade ****, slapped together. I'm guessing, as I have not yet had the need to build again, that only if you get lucky with a really good full custom builder, and ride them basically the entire time (and after for a year), will a person have any reasonable hope of getting something better.

I'm just gonna have to also say that it's even worse when it's a DOCTOR that operates this way..with your body/life. My step mother keeps telling me just to fly to Mayo Clinic if it matters, and I am starting to believe her. Hard to find good help, and when you do, they are usually retiring next week or switching industries :p Sorry, it just triggered me :)
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I think even the contractor grade stuff still has to meet the minimum requirements.
The solar panels would likely have to produce some amount of electricity, to be signed off on.
I think true mass installation would quickly identify and solve problems associated with these systems.
 
Visbek said:
Sounds like a plan to me.

I have some sympathy with the "no choice" objection. However, I don't see this as much different than building codes requiring plumbing, electrical, standards for HVAC and so forth.
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Of course you don't, I've never met a liberal in my life who won't support government regulation, except on abortion.
 
Visbek said:
Sounds like a plan to me.

I have some sympathy with the "no choice" objection. However, I don't see this as much different than building codes requiring plumbing, electrical, standards for HVAC and so forth.
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It's different. Most of those standards have to do with safety,no?
OTOH if South Miami can't meet energy needs in the conventianol manner, then they have a right to do this.
Or they may have issues with the existing power supply systems constantly getting knocked out by storms.

It will definitely be interesting to see how this works out.
 
KLATTU said:
It's different. Most of those standards have to do with safety,no?
OTOH if South Miami can't meet energy needs in the conventianol manner, then they have a right to do this.
Or they may have issues with the existing power supply systems constantly getting knocked out by storms.

It will definitely be interesting to see how this works out.
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I think it might be a good idea to include a run alone feature, so if after a Hurricane,
the home could power some minimal set of appliances during the daytime.
Keeping the refrigerator running and a few fans are great, if it is all you have.
 
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