Vernon, B.C. considering requiring new homes to be built ‘solar ready’ | 24CA News
In the longer term, all new single-family properties in Vernon, B.C. may very well be required to be constructed “solar-ready.”
The Okanagan municipality’s metropolis council voted this week to ask employees “to investigate requiring all new single-family homes be built with solar-ready infrastructure.”
What meaning in apply is that the properties would wish to have conduit or tubing put in in order that if photo voltaic panels have been added sooner or later it could be straightforward to attach them to the house’s electrical infrastructure.
It’s one thing the proprietor of a Vernon photo voltaic set up firm stated many dwelling builders are already doing.
“It will always depend on the actual build itself, but a conduit itself is quite an inexpensive item. I don’t think it would add more than a couple of hundred dollars to an average install,” stated Roost Solar proprietor Stephen Russell.
Russell is in favour of the proposed “solar-ready” requirement which might make retrofitting homes with photo voltaic panels simpler.
Russell, although, admits that as somebody within the photo voltaic business, he’s “a little biased.”
“It really depends where the actual electrical panel is located. If, for example, it is located in the basement in a very finished area it gets pretty tricky for us to cleanly get a cable up to the roof where the solar panels are installed. In that instance [a preinstalled conduit] is quite beneficial,” Russell stated.
Councillors in favour of exploring the thought argued mandating photo voltaic readiness would help town’s local weather motion objectives.
“I think that is our job as city council is to be leaders and to make sure we are taking the steps that we are expected to be taking to put the climate plan into action. We are far behind, I think, in terms of where we would like to be. We are doing our very best,” Coun. Teresa Durning stated.
“When ideas like this come up it is really important for us at city council to give it a full discussion and give it time to process and I think we are doing that with this item.”
Durning additionally identified that council had mentioned probably providing monetary incentives to offset the price of a “solar-ready” requirement.
However, Coun. Kari Gares is anxious about mandating a brand new requirement for builders when authorities can also be making an attempt to cut back crimson tape to get wanted housing constructed.
“I fundamentally don’t have an issue with solar — in fact, solar for a lot of individuals is a huge cost-saving measure,” stated Gares.
“My concern that I have is on the flip side of that. If we are regulating which means we are imposing on the development community a certain aspect of building, is that going to translate into an increased cost to the consumer?”
Gares additionally factors out that not all owners will find yourself utilizing the “solar-ready” infrastructure.
City employees is predicted to come back again to council with a report on the thought at a future council assembly.
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