Energy

1. Energy

2. Goals • Help protect the environment and increase community economic efficiency by promoting alternative energies, specifically solar panels and green roofing. • Develop codes for both solar panels and green roofing for which statewide programs and incentives apply • Include the following • flexibility codes • developer-based incentives for green building • points program for development • find ways to promote and market existing technology and incentives

3. SolarEnergyPotential • Kentucky has a great deal of solar energy potential that may be utilized. • Kentucky has 4.5 sunlight hours • Florida has 5.3 sunlight hours (Inter-County Energy Cooperative, 2011). (National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 2008).

4. Considerations for Solar Building Codes • Safety: • Electric solar system components must have a UL listing and must comply with the National Electrical Code • Aesthetics: • Should blend in with the building • Solar Access: • To protect shorter buildings from shadows cast by taller buildings • Flexibility Codes • To allow for future technologies and home made solar panels (Honey Electric Solar, Inc., 2011

5. Home Made Solar Panels • Home made solar panels will cost well under $200 and the parts are easy to come by. • Some of the tools used: • Lumber, Plexiglas, Silicone Caulk, Wire, Diode, Wire, and Screws. Which are all easily obtained at local hardware stores. • The hardest part to get will be the actual solar cells which you can find on eBay for very low prices. • Solar cells on eBay can cost anywhere from $10-$50 dollars depending on who the seller is.

6. Encouraging Solar Panel Usage • “Incentives are a large, if not the largest, factor in the growth of installed solar capacity.” – Brightstar Solar • For single-family residences • As a group, the largest potential market for solar energy. • Startup costs can be prohibitive. • For builders & developers • Density Bonus • Bid Preferences • Permit Expediting • For commercial, institutional, and government buildings

7. Commercial, Institutional, Government • Recommendations: • Energy Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC) • Facilitate conditional permitting for retrofits. • Limit number of permit fees on combined building applications (CR Solar Energy Stds.) • Promote existing Corporate Tax Incentives and Exemptions • The ESPC concept can be used for many project scales and types, but may be especially effective when applied to well-established commercial, governmental or institutional entities looking to retrofit for better green compliance.

8. Green Roofing Codes • Standard E2396 • Standard Testing Method for Saturated Water Permeability of Granular Drainage Media for Green Roof Systems • Standard E2397 • Standard Practice for Determination of Dead Loads and Live Loads Associated with Green Roof Systems • Standard E2398 • Standard Test Method for Water Capture and Media Retention of Geocomposite Drain Layers for Green Roof Systems • Standard E2399 • Standard Test Method for Maximum Media Density for Dead Load Analysis of Green Roof Systems • Standard 2400 • Standard Guide for Selection, Installation, and Maintenance of Plants for Green Roof Systems

9. Green Roofing Examples • Chicago, Illinois • The city of Chicago offered 20 grants for $5,000 to construct a green roof • Small commercial buildings must be less than 10,000 square feet • Must maintain green roof for at least 5 years • Toronto Canada Green Roof Incentive Pilot Program • $10,000 for single property owners and $100,000 for other property owners • Any property owner is eligible as long as they have a water account with the city • Codes were created to help with storm water drainage and improve city water quality

10. Other Recommendations • How$martKY program from the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development • Partnership with electric cooperatives to pay for the costs of retrofitting their customers’ homes. • The customers, then, pay for the costs out of the average energy savings generated by the efficiency upgrades • Solar Map • Help promote alternative energies and help residents to select the best energy solution for their homes • The map could, perhaps, be created and updated yearly by either web design students or GIS students at Eastern Kentucky University.

11. Bibliography • Chief Executive Office of the County of Los Angeles . 3 19, 2010. http://sf.solarmap.org/ (accessed April 2, 2011). • Honey Electric Solar, Inc. "Recent Solar Electric Projects." Honey Electrical Solar, Inc. 2011. http://honeyelectricsolar.com/pv_projects.asp (accessed April 2, 2011). • Inter-County Energy Cooperative. "Wind and Solar In Kentucky." Inter-County Energy Cooperative. 2011. http://www.intercountyenergy.net/images/intercounty/Wind_and_Solar_in_Kentucky.pdf (accessed April 5, 2011). • National Renewable Energy Laboratory. "Solar Maps." National Renewable Energy Laboratory. October 2008. http://www.nrel.gov/gis/solar.html (accessed April 4, 2011). • U.S. Energy Information Statistics. "Average Retail Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State." U.S. Energy Information Statistics. March 11, 2011. http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_a.html (accessed April 4, 2011).