HB471:

State agencies and localities; solar-ready roof requirements, etc.

Bill Summary:

Solar-ready roof requirements for state agencies and localities; energy-positive building design for schools. Requires any executive branch agency or institution and any locality entering the design phase for the construction of a new building greater than 5,000 gross square feet in size, or the renovation of a building where the cost of the renovation exceeds 50 percent of the value of the building, to ensure that such building includes a solar-ready roof, defined in the bill as having the structural capability to accept the increased load from solar panels, proper sizing of the electrical panel, installation of conduit and wire from the roof to the electrical panel, use of solar-appropriate roof membranes and other roofing materials, and clustering of vents and non-solar equipment to maximize available space for solar panels. However, the provisions of the bill do not apply to localities with a population of less than 100,000 until July 1, 2023. The bill also requires new public school buildings and facilities, and improvements and renovations to existing public school buildings and facilities where the cost of the renovation exceeds 50 percent of the value of the building to be designed, constructed, maintained, and operated to generate more electricity than consumed.