Building code changes for photovoltaic and electric vehicle promotion expected to take effect July 1

Changes to the County of San Diego's Building Code which are intended to promote the use of photovoltaic electricity systems and electric vehicle charging in new homes are expected to take effect July 1.

A 4-1 San Diego County Board of Supervisors vote March 18, with Bill Horn opposed, approved the first reading and introduction of the ordinance amendments. A second reading and adoption is scheduled for April 8.

"These will be great upgrades," said Supervisor Dianne Jacob.

In April 2014, the Board of Supervisors directed the county's chief administrative officer to research potential updates to the Building Code to promote energy-efficient standards. Potential amendments were presented to the county supervisors in August, and the supervisors directed the chief administrative officer to develop ordinance language to implement four of the options.

During the process to implement the ordinance county staff worked with the Building Industry Association, the California Center for Sustainable Energy, and the California Solar Energy Industry Association. All three stakeholders provided positive feedback about the four changes.

"It's great to see the building industry working collaboratively with county staff," said Supervisor Dave Roberts.

One of the changes requires that all new single-family development include an electric panel of at least 200 amperes and which has space reserved to accommodate circuit breakers for photovoltaic and electric vehicle charging systems. The space reserved for the future photovoltaic and electric vehicle circuit breakers must also be labeled to facilitate potential future installation and use.

The code change will also require all new single-family development to include installation of conduit which will run from the electrical panel to a nearby junction box and then through the wall or attic for potential future use by a photovoltaic system. That requirement will allow the installer of a future photovoltaic system to use the conduit to install the wiring and would also provide the aesthetic benefit of concealing the conduit within the structure rather than having it visible on the exterior walls or eaves.

The amendments will also require that all new single-family development include the installation of conduit to run from the electrical panel through the walls to a junction box located in the garage which can accommodate the future installation of an electric vehicle charging station. The junction box will be labeled to identify its intended use as an electric vehicle charging station.

The other change will require all new single-family development with a south-facing roof to reserve at least 250 square feet of area to enable future installation of a roof-mounted photovoltaic energy or solar water heating system. The reserved space must be free of obstructions such as vents, chimneys, and roof-mounted equipment and must be located to prevent shading of the area by adjacent roof projections. Homes without a south-facing roof are exempt from those standards.

"To put in these kinds of things after a house is built is more expensive," Jacob said.

The anticipated additional cost for a new home due to the four amendments is expected to be between $300 and $400, although new construction projects which meet the minimum standards of the county's Green Building Incentive Program are eligible for permit fee reductions and expedited plan review.

"I don't think the county Board of Supervisors should be telling builders what to put in their homes," Horn said.