TOMORROW IS THE DAY!

The 2019 DFW Solar Tour is a free, one-day event taking place this year on Saturday, October 5, 2019, from 10 am to 4 pm. The general public is invited to visit select innovative homes and buildings throughout the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex.

Over the past ten years, thousands of visitors have toured homes, schools, libraries and other energy efficient sustainable buildings across the Metroplex, from Allen to Weatherford, Denton to Cedar Hill, and all the way out to a rural off-grid home near Azle. Tour visitors from as far away as Houston, El Paso and Hot Springs Arkansas come to see what forward-thinking people in North Texas are doing to build a self-sufficient, renewable sustainable future.

 

The DFW Solar Tour enables people to learn how their neighbors – homeowners and businesses alike – are using solar energy, wind energy, energy efficiency, and other sustainable technologies to save money and reduce consumption of natural resources. The strategies and techniques on display during this year’s tour range from things as simple and easy as changing to LED light bulbs and selecting more efficient appliances, to cutting-edge, ultra-efficient eco-homes and businesses that are generating as much or more energy than they consume!

The DFW Solar Tour is organized by the non-profit 501(c)(3), all volunteer-based North Texas Renewable Energy Group, Inc in cooperation with the Texas Solar Energy Society and the American Solar Energy Society National Solar Tour.

Why solar is likely to power the Home of the Future

"Very few places had air conditioners when the technology first became available, and now it’s rare to find a builder who would create a new home without it." Solar is growing cheaper and more popular each year! Check out this recent article!

Why solar is likely to power the Home of the Future

How and when older Americans should go solar

While some of the cost/price information has to be adjusted for here in North Texas, this article provides a good overview of the considerations involved.

solarpowerrocks.com/affordable-solar/solar-right-grandma-older-americans-go-solar

The State(s) of Distributed Solar - 2017 Update (from ISLR)

Check out this article which provides a good overview of distributed solar across the U.S.

ilsr.org/the-states-of-distributed-solar

No surprise here - rooftop solar saving everyone on the grid money!

Check out this article that highlights savings "driven by energy efficiency programs and increasing levels of residential, rooftop solar generation".

Efficiency, DERs saving $2.6B in avoided transmission costs, CAISO says

Rooftop Solar and EVs Save Water and Cut Pollution

What a great pair! Solar PV and EVs! Spread the news! Share with your friends!

www.txses.org/rooftop-solar-and-evs-save-water-and-cut-pollution/

Talk Up Solar Energy Where You Live!

Whether you live in a single-family residence or a multi-family community, there is probably a great opportunity to take advantage of sunlight that falls on your roof to generate clean local electricity!

For example, if you live in a single-family home in North Texas, check out Go Solar at Home to learn about rooftop solar, do a little homework, and if you are interested, enroll to obtain quotes from local solar installation companies.

If you live in a North Texas multi-family community, check out the properties below that already have rooftop solar PV systems installed! And every year, more and more are adding solar PV panels to provide local clean energy from the sun! If yours currently does not have solar panels installed - talk it up! Ask then when they plan to add panels and how you can help speed up the process!

Summit Parque,

12777 Merrit Dr., Dallas, TX 75251

Oak Lawn Heights,

2600 Arroyo Ave, Dallas, TX 75219

The Alista (Flats & Villas),

10028 Royal Lane, Dallas, TX 75238

La Jolla Terrace,

8900 Randoll Mills Rd, Ft Worth, TX 75251

Please let us know when you learn of other multi-family properties around North Texas that have "Gone Solar", and Talk Up Solar Energy Where You Live!

Shine On!

Plano Solar Advocate (LH)

Considerations When Contemplating Energy Savings "bundles"

Proper combinations of rooftop solar PV installations and energy efficiency upgrades can yield some great long term benefits. However, when combining these "bundles" with a single company, extra steps and cautions may be needed.  We have been made aware that there is a company serving North Texas that may be blurring the lines. So the purpose of this blog post is to help you better navigate the process.

When deciding to install a solar PV system on your home, careful consideration is required. It is a long term investment if you purchase or finance the installation. It is a long term commitment if you choose the lease or PPA (power purchase agreement) route. If the installation company offers combination deals of energy efficiency upgrades and solar PV installations, be sure to understand and obtain in writing the cost breakdown of each. This is very important because energy efficiency upgrades are NOT currently eligible for the same federal tax credits, in spite of what some installers may claim.

Things to watch out for:

1. Companies selling door-to-door
2. "Free" energy audits, because the cost of the audit is really included in anything you buy from them
3. High pressure sales person that doesn't want to leave until you signed a contract

Always good things to do:

1. Research & compare
2. Obtain multiple bids. If the bid includes a solar PV system installation and energy efficiency upgrades, be sure the costs are separately detailed, for comparison purposes and for tax credit purposes
3. Ask for and check references
4. Learn from friends or neighbors who have had solar PV systems installed

When considering the installation of a home solar PV system, as with any large investment or commitment, take time to do your homework and don't let any high pressure sales person push you into something before you are ready.  

Please review "How to Choose a Solar Installer" by the Texas Solar Energy Society.


UPDATE 4/30/16
See this article as an unfortunate example of what we are describing in the blog posting - Watchdog: Angry Duncanville man saves $177 on $18,000 solar investment 
UPDATE 6/11/16
See this article as another unfortunate example of what we are describing in the blog posting - Fort Worth solar energy installer draws dozens of complaints
UPDATE 7/20/16
On June 3, 2016 BBB alerted that Global Efficient Energy has rebranded itself EnviSmart

Shine On!
Plano Solar Advocates (LH)

US Energy Policy and Home Ownership

An “Open Letter” to our Texas elected representatives 

to the US Senate and House of Representatives

As a homeowner in Texas, I feel that home ownership and long term investments in our homes, helps to facilitate a strong foundation for families in Texas and the United States.

My family recently made a long term investment in our home by purchasing a solar photovoltaic (PV) electric system to capture the local clean energy falling on our home every day. The US Internal Revenue Code Section 25D residential solar investment tax credit (ITC) is achieving its goal to encourage individuals to increase investments in residential renewable energy systems. It helped our family, and many like ours, to make the personal long term commitment to invest in energy freedom. It is a great feeling to be more energy independent!

Using rooftop (or onsite) solar PV technology now available has the great advantage of generating the electricity where it is consumed. This helps all electricity consumers by reducing the strain on the overall electric grid and reducing energy losses that occur when transmitting electricity over long distances. And especially in Texas, solar PV generates the electricity when we are using it the most – when the sun is shining! (It was especially satisfying to know that when the Texas electric grid was hitting peak demand last week my solar PV system was helping to offset some of this peak electricity demand.) As Texas continues to grow, building more of our new homes with solar PV systems to make them net zero (i.e. they produce as much energy as they consume on an annual basis) will further reduce the strain on our electrical grid and help more citizens to become more energy independent!

The Section 25D residential solar ITC also accelerates growth of small businesses across Texas and the rest of the country - businesses that install, contract, or work on residential systems. A recent policy brief titled “Clean Energy Employment Booming, Creates a More Diverse Workforce and Higher Quality Jobs” indicates that Texas had over a 60% growth in solar jobs in 2014. While the rooftop solar market has grown dramatically in part due to third party ownership and leasing, the residential market is beginning to further expand with loans and direct ownership models making the section 25D residential solar ITC extremely important for years to come. For additional information on solar jobs in Texas, see the 2014 Texas Solar Job Census Report.

If the Section 25D solar ITC does expire at the end of 2016, it will stack the deck against homeowners who wish to make this long term investment in their home.  This is because the similar Section 48A solar ITC for commercial owners, while currently set to step down in percentage at the end of 2016, will not go to zero like the residential solar ITC. Thus commercial owners, including third party owners leasing rooftop solar PV systems to homeowners, will continue to receive a solar ITC. Additionally, commercial owners will continue to receive a business depreciation incentive which is not available to residential homeowners.

While considering the tradeoffs for renewable energy incentives/subsidies, I did some research on the long term history of energy incentives/subsidies in the US.  What I found is that all energy sources have benefitted from long term and continuing government incentives. (For example, see reference The Historical Role of Federal Subsidies in Shaping America’s Energy Future .) So while I generally believe that most energy incentives should be phased out over time, I feel most strongly that we should start first by eliminating all incentives and industry specific tax benefits for those energy sources that have been receiving them the longest (in some cases for 90+ years). Once these are ended, then we could consider a gradual phase out of incentives for the newer renewable energy sources. However, if we do identify societal reasons to continue to provide favorable tax incentives for energy sources, then we cannot in good conscience end incentives for new technologies, especially clean renewable technologies that generate electricity directly where it is consumed, while continuing to provide favorable incentives and tax treatment for incumbent energy sources.

As my elected representatives to our US legislature, I am asking you to take the necessary steps to review and extend this solar ITC, in a sensible way, for a sensible time, with an appropriate phase out period. This would be a sound tax policy that provides the certainty necessary for Texas and American companies to plan for the future and to innovate; and enable more homeowners to experience greater energy independence. While historically, Texas’ great energy resources have been oil and gas, new technology innovation is allowing us to add wind and solar energy (including local on-site solar) into the mix.

I appreciate your collective experience and leadership in service to the citizens of Texas, and I look forward to having your support on this important home ownership and energy independence issue. I would welcome the opportunity to speak more about this important topic with you.

Best Regards and Shine On!
Richard Howe
Plano, Texas

This letter is from one of our Plano Solar Advocate (PSA) volunteers and does not specifically represent the views of other or all PSA volunteers. Comments and feedback are encouraged in the comment section below.

Go Solar at Home!

The next step in expanding the use of rooftop solar in Plano and North Texas!

Plano Solar Advocates is introducing a pilot project titled "GO SOLAR AT HOME" which is modeled after the very successful “Bring Solar Home” campaign from Solar San Antonio.

(To learn more read on, and/or go to the Enrollment Page)

Like our earlier Solarize Plano Projects, this project is being done in collaboration with the City of Plano’s Live Green in Plano initiatives. The project is available to Plano residents, and we welcome residents of surrounding communities to participate as well!

The primary goal of the project is to connect homeowners (and small businesses with rooftops) who are thinking about, or ready to install solar, with local area solar installers. Enrolling in the project is not a commitment to purchase, but a commitment to learn more about LOCAL CLEAN rooftop solar PV energy.

As part of the enrollment process, interested residents are guided through basic rooftop solar education steps. They are encouraged to research their annual energy consumption to enable them to calculate possible solar PV system sizes specific to their situation.  These are simple, but important, steps so that interested individuals are better equipped and positioned to review proposals from solar installation companies if they choose to go forward.

After completing the basic education steps and completing the online enrollment form, your information will be provided to three local solar installation companies. These companies will contact you to discuss your goals and determine if solar is a good option for your residence.

To take the next step - Enroll Here!
For information meeting sessions, see Schedules and Presentations

Solar Ready Homes in Texas - Getting on the Radar!

Small steps can begin to make a BIG difference!

Back in July of this year, we had a blog posting titled, "Build Solar Ready Homes in Solar Rich Texas".  The objective was to recommend that local jurisdictions (and Texas at the state level) consider adopting residential building codes that require new homes to be designed and built "solar ready". 

Recently, the Texas A&M Energy Systems Lab (ESL) completed their mandated technical review and recommendations of the 2015 IECC and IRC energy codes for the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO).   Their letter of recommendation included a review and summary of the comments that SECO received regarding the 2015 codes.  (See section labeled "Comments in Favor of the Adoption of the 2015 IRC Appendix U: Solar-Ready Residences".) While "solar ready" provisions were not specifically recommended by ESL, it was great to see in this summary report that "solar ready" provisions are finally getting some visibility.  

Small steps can lead to BIGGER steps!  Let's keep promoting residential rooftop solar PV in Plano and all across Solar Rich Texas!

Shine On!
Plano Solar Advocates (LH)

Energy Literacy - in Plano and North Texas

As students in Plano and many districts across North Texas head back to school today, let's take some time for all of us to increase our literacy about our energy consumption and its impacts.

When first learning about rooftop solar, it is important to do some homework to understand how much electricity your home or business uses on an annual basis in total kilowatt-hours (kWh). While most of us know about how much we spend in dollars on our monthly electric bill, we need to better understand our total average annual kWh usage before taking the next steps for investing in rooftop solar (or similar energy efficiency investment).  Improving our understanding of how much electricity energy we consume is an important first step to improving our overall "energy literacy".  

And improving our "energy literacy" is significant for two broad reasons.  First - it appears that the North Texas area annually uses more electricity than any other region of the state. (More about this in the next paragraph.) And second, most of the electricity we consume in North Central Texas is generated by central power plants outside the area we live.  Therefore, the impacts of this electricity generation delivered to our region - good or bad - we don't seem to know, or care about. Over time, we can dramatically shift this second point, by taking advantage of clean local energy available to us almost every day - from the sun! With technology available today, we can grow and enrich our community by combining the use of this local solar resource with expanding our energy literacy and energy efficiency.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) manages the flow of electric power to 24 million Texas customers - representing 85 percent of the state's electric load.  Their website (www.ercot.com) provides a wealth of information about electricity use across Texas.  Much of this data is grouped in eight zones across the state. Plano and the DFW area are in the North Central Texas zone. Annually this zone is the highest consumer of electricity of all the eight ERCOT zones, consuming one-third of all the electricity of Texas. By doing a bit more math on some additional data from ERCOT, it can be calculated that the average residential customer in the North Central zone used 16,220 kWh in 2013.  This is about 10% higher than the average across all the zones and almost 20% higher than the zone with the least annual usage. 

Plano consumes over 4 Billion (with a capital B) kilowatt-hours of electricity every year. With today’s available solar photovoltaic technology, about 40% of this demand could be met with about three percent of the city’s 72 square miles of surface area.  Think residential and business rooftops!  Local CLEAN energy, that uses no water for generation, and is generated where it is consumed so no energy waste in transmission. 

As Texas, and especially the North Texas area continues to grow, it seems that improving our "energy literacy" and taking advantage of clean local solar energy might help us in the long term save money, reduce our water consumption, improve our air quality, and improve our overall quality of life.  

To help us in the journey of improving our "energy literacy", we wanted to let our blog readers know about a very informative webinar held by the US Department of Energy on August 5 titled "National Energy Literacy Virtual Town Hall".  Links to the webcast information, presentation, and additional information are available at this link - www.energy.gov/eere/education/downloads/webcast-national-energy-literacy-virtual-town-hall

Points of interest from the webinar:

• Currently Plano has four elementary schools (Dooley, Mendenhall, Wells, Wyatt) and two senior high schools (Plano, Plano West) participating in the Green Ribbon Schools Program.  See www.greenribbonschools.org to learn more.
• Check out this video : from the Webber Energy Group at UT Austin about Energy 101 - youtu.be/O37bW8sxLF8
• Watch this fun movie online (~50 minutes) titled - Energy at the Movies - www.klru.org/episode/energy-at-the-movies/episode-details-2/
• KQED & Stanford University Energy iBooks and iTunesU Course
• Energy: The Basics - itunes.apple.com/us/book/energy/id826157199?mt=13
• Energy: Use and Efficiency - itunes.apple.com/us/book/energy/id884353155?mt=13
• iTunesU Energy Course - itunes.apple.com/us/course/energy/id830977778
• Written instruments (surveys) to measure energy and climate literacy (Middle School, High School, Adult) - see www.clarkson.edu/cses/research/energylitproj.html
• National Energy Education Development - K-12 curriculum resources on the science of energy, energy sources, electricity, transportation fuels, efficiency & conservation - see www.need.org/curriculum
• ECO DADs - exploring the nexus of energy, technology, and education - see ecodads.org

Please take a look at some of this information and let us know what we can do to help improve Energy Literacy in Plano!

Shine On!

Plano Solar Advocates (LH)

Texas HOAs generally CANNOT block south street facing solar installations

BRIEF UPDATE:
Texas HB-362 passed in the 82nd Legislative session (2011), limits HOAs and POAs from restricting solar devices outright.  While working with a few Solarize Plano participants and other residents in Plano, we have encounter a few instances were HOAs have initially denied placement of street facing southern exposure solar panels. 

Under the Texas solar legislation, an HOA cannot prevent you from installing solar panels on your south facing roof if it faces the street.  You just have to work with the solar installation company to show that any alternate location proposed by the HOA that doesn't use the south facing roof will decrease efficiency (annual production) by 10% or more. This is generally not a problem when comparing south facing roof placed solar panels vs solar panels facing east or west. 

It is recommended that persons installing solar PV and that live in an HOA governed area, and that need to install panels on their south facing street facing roof, to have their solar company include upfront in their submission to the HOA review committee the necessary calculations for their planned solar PV system that show that not using the south facing roof will decrease annual production by 10% or greater.  Including this in the initial submission should help reduce the overall HOA review cycle time.

If you, or anyone you know, has been holding off installing solar PV because of this, we can help them through the process.  To reach us for assistance, please use our "Contact Us" form.

For additional information, please see our "Useful Links" page and scroll down to the section titled "Policy & References related to HOAs (Home Owners Associations)"

Thoughts and feedback on this topic would be appreciated!

Shine On!

Plano Solar Advocates (LH)

Energy Star Homebuilders Block Installation of Solar PV in Plano Neighborhood

Homebuilders Elect to Limit Consumer Choice

This blog posting is intended for homeowners of the Trails of Glenwood neighborhood in Plano and similar homeowners elsewhere who might be in similar situations.  Readers of this blog posting are encouraged to forward it to others, especially if you know someone living in, or associated with this neighborhood.

More and more homeowners all across Plano are exercising consumer choice by choosing to make investments in their homes to add solar electric PV systems. These systems generate local electricity to meet at least some or most of their electricity needs.  But in a beautiful area of northeast Plano, homeowners are being told they don’t have the choice.

Legislation was passed in 2011 that prevents HOAs in Texas from blocking homeowners from installing solar panels on their homes.  However, there is one “loophole” in the legislation that was reportedly added at the last minute by the Texas Homebuilders Association. This loophole allows developers (builders) to withhold permission to install solar panels if the neighborhood is still in “development”.  Unfortunately for homeowners and prospective homeowners in the Trails of Glenwood neighborhood in Plano, their HOA (currently represented by only the homebuilders) is using this clause to prevent homeowners the choice of generating some of their electricity with solar panels.

It seems a bit ironic that as the Trails of Glenwood neighborhood is adding additional loads to the electric grid and increasing water requirements on a very strained and fragile water system, that these “Energy Star” homebuilders are blocking new homeowners from making their own investments to install solar electric systems. Systems that take advantage of local clean energy and that require no water for electricity generation.

Plano Solar Advocates has written letters to the homebuilders and HOA management company requesting that they change their policy and to allow homeowners this electricity consumer choice option.  To date, only one response has been received.   See the following excerpt:

… the concern is, by allowing the installation of unsightly solar panels and equipment there would be a negative impact on the aesthetic quality of the entire community.  So while solar panels would be a positive with regard to energy savings of the individual homeowner, it could negatively impact the rest of the property owners in Trails of Glenwood via diminished property values….

Now a few points here from the perspective of Plano Solar Advocates:

1.      The term “unsightly” for solar panels seems quite subjective.  We agree that solar panels are still relatively new, and it may take time for “some” people to get used to seeing them.  But by driving through the Trails of Glenwood neighborhood, you can see some things that others might think or more “unsightly” than solar panels - like high voltage transmission lines visible from every home in the neighborhood and satellite dishes installed on many roofs that are visible from the street.

2.      Trails of Glenwood residents should be becoming more familiar with solar panels because the Plano Fire Station that protects them just outside their neighborhood has solar panels on its roof.  

3.      Regarding “diminished property values” - all of the studies and articles that we have found indicate that adding local generation to homes only increases property values, not decrease.  Even a recent article in the online Builder magazine titled “Eight Reasons Your Buyers Should Opt for Solar Power" is highlighting why solar is becoming more mainstream and definitely not decreasing property values.

o    See http://www.builderonline.com/solar-power/eight-reasons-your-buyers-should-opt-for-solar-power_o.aspx

o    Also, according to a recent article by the American Solar Energy Society, there are now more than 470,000 solar PV installations across the US, with 155,000 of those being installed in 2013.  So PV intallations may still be new to some people, but acceptance is growing rapidly!

4.      Toyota, a company very focused on sustainability, recently announced that it is moving its North American headquarters to Plano (relocating from California).  To attract relocated employees, it seems that area homebuilders would be embracing rooftop solar technology which is widespread in California, rather than blocking it.

So in closing, we propose the following steps & recommendations for homeowners and potential homeowners of the Trails of Glenwood. Contact the HOA and homebuilders and let your voice be heard.

1.      Tell the HOA that it should be your choice not their choice whether you choose to install solar panels. Tell them to change their “development period” policy and to allow installations of solar panels.

2.      Ask the HOA and builder for clarification as to where and how it was disclosed to you before you purchased the property that you would not be allowed to install solar panels during the “development” period.

3.      If they do not agree to change their policy regarding installation of solar panels, here are some additional ideas:

o    Ask them for a specific date for when the “development” period will end and to publish this date to existing homeowners and to all new prospective homeowners.

o    For homeowners who are interested in investing and installing solar PV systems and are denied by the HOA, require the HOA to waive the $600 annual dues until the “development” period is over.  This would at least partially offset the lost electricity and potential equipment savings denied the homeowner.

If you have any additional ideas, questions or comments, we would like to hear from you.  Please use our “contact us” form on our webpage to let us know.

Shine On!

Plano Solar Advocates (LH)

UPDATE5 August 31, 2014 - Dallas Morning News “Sounding Off” posed question - Should developers be able to restrict solar-energy devices while housing developments are still under construction? Results as of 9/2/14 - Change the law!

Out of 118 total responses: 106 Against developer restriction, 12 either For, For it with Conditions, or Neutral.

See embedded links to Dallas Morning News “Sounding Off” area responses with response totals for each area in parentheses - Plano (17/4), Allen (2/0), Best Southwest area (14/0), Frisco (3/0), Lewisville-Flower Mound (6/0), McKinney (13/0), Northwest Dallas County (16/2), Richardson-Lake Highlands (17/1), Rockwall-Rowlett (8/1), East Dallas (10/2)

UPDATE4 August 20, 2014 - See CBS Channel 11 video and article - Homeowners Stalled From Installing Solar Power
UPDATE3 August 20, 2014 - See Dallas Observer article - Plano Developers Won't Let Homeowners Install Solar Panels Because They're Just So Ugly
UPDATE2 August 19, 2014 - See Dallas Morning News Editorial - The stupidity of stopping solar power in Plano
UPDATE August 17, 2014 - See Dallas Morning News article - Texas law lets developers ban solar panelswhile subdivisions are growing

Build Solar Ready Homes in Solar Rich Texas

Pursuant to 34 TAC §19.52, the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) is accepting written comments through August 4, 2014 on the energy efficiency provisions of the 2015 International Residential Code (IRC) for single-family residential construction and the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for all commercial and residential construction. These written comments can be provided by email.

(See - http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/TXCOMPT/bulletins/c29371?reqfrom=share)

Included in the 2015 IRC is "Appendix U-Solar-Ready Provisions", an appendix describing provisions for building new homes solar ready.

Readers are requested to email SECO (at 2015CodeComments@cpa.texas.gov) no later than August 4, 2014 to encourage the state and local jurisdictions to adopt Appendix U as a requirement for new homes built across Texas.

Some background: 50-60 years ago, new homes being built began to widely adopt the new technology of residential central air conditioning.  The designs and building codes for homes were adapted to accommodate the changes necessary to add this new major home appliance technology. It was a wonderful technology greatly increasing the comfort and livability for Texas citizens.  So much so, the population of Texas began to grow dramatically.  Also at the same time, undoubtedly the electricity demand began to grow across the state, and in particular the peak demand began to grow with heavy air conditioning use during our long sunny summer afternoons. Not only because more people came to live in Texas, but because each home was using more electricity to power the air conditioning systems that were keeping us cool.

Fast forward to today. Peak demand electricity usage is becoming more and more of a challenge for the Texas electricity grid.  More people are continuing to move to Texas.  More new homes are being built.

Today, 50+ years after the wide spread adoption of residential central air conditioning, there is a new technology beginning to be widely deployed called rooftop solar photovoltaics (PV). Finally, each home can include technology that can generate local electricity to help power central air conditioning and other home comforts. Electricity that is generated where it is consumed, reducing the strain on the statewide electric grid. Electricity that is generated from local clean sunshine, not requiring our precious water resources like traditional centrally generated power plants. Electricity that is produced without air, water, or noise pollution.

Solar-ready provisions include relatively simple items such as including a chase that goes to the roof for solar service lines, and a roof design that provides an area of unobstructed south facing roof surface where solar panels could be installed. When included in the original design requirements and done when the home is constructed, these solar-ready provisions should add little or no cost to the overall price of new homes. See ICC Approves Changes to Energy Code for additional information.

So please take the time to generate a brief email to SECO at 2015CodeComments@cpa.texas.gov and ask them to adopt "Appendix U - Solar-Ready Provisions" of the 2015 IRC as a requirement for new homes built in Texas. And ask others you know to do the same!

Shine On!
Plano Solar Energy Advocates (LH)

Additional thought - If you hear from a homebuilder that building a home solar-ready costs too much, ask them how much cost is added to homes to include fireplaces? How much time per year do you spend in front of the fireplace vs hours of sunshine?