So far four cities in California require solar panels on all new residential construction, with San Francisco as the most populous example. A proposed law would expand that requirement to the rest of the state.
"Newly sworn-in state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, plans to introduce legislation Monday requiring all new construction in the state to include solar panels," reports Melody Gutierrez.
The proposed law would expand current state requirements that new building "have at least 15 percent of the roof clear of obstructions and shade" to be ready for solar panels to be added at a later date, according to another article on the proposed law by Kate Wheeling.
The state bill builds on a similar ordinance in San Francisco, authored by Senator Wiener while he was a San Francisco County Supervisor. "San Francisco was the first major city in the country to require that solar panels be installed on new buildings and homes," according to Gutierrez. Though San Francisco is one of for cities around the state to require solar panels on new construction (Lancaster, Santa Monica, and Sebastopol are the others), the bill is expected to have a difficult path to adoption at the state level.
Read the full story: Scott Wiener models state solar bill on S.F. law
Details of the Golden State's Residential Solar Requirement
San Francisco Chronicle energy reporter David R. Baker sheds some light on the nation's first state building code requiring that solar panels be included in new home construction, adopted by the California Energy Commission on May 9.
California Leads in Solar Rooftops
A combination of state and local incentives and building code mandates has helped California far outpace other states in residential rooftop solar permits.
Commercial Buildings, Parking Lots Offer Significant Potential for Solar Energy
Massive swaths of flat rooftops, garages, and surface parking lots go underutilized. They could be producing renewable energy.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
In Texas, data centers are swallowing promised parkland
Residents who moved to Taylor, Texas for a rural community now have to contend with three data centers in their backyard.
How a Chicago-sized wind farm beat the odds and powered on
The project spanned five presidential administrations and a standoff with a U.S. military base.
MTA gives itself 30 days to transform pit into basketball court
The site has been under construction since 2022; the city originally estimated it would finish the court in 2024.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority