Solar Hot Water Ready for Single Family Homes
Questions and Answers
Question: What is Solar Hot Water Ready?
Answer: Solar Hot Water Ready construction is defined for the purpose of this initiative as a building that has a conduit in place for future wiring and plumbing requirements and has an area designated for a solar collector to facilitate installation of a solar water heating system at a later date.
Solar Hot Water Ready does not include the installation of solar panels, additional hot water storage tanks, the actual plumbing or the pump and control unit needed for solar hot water generation.
Question: Why build a Solar Hot Water Ready home?
Answer: Making a home Solar Hot Water Ready is easier and less expensive during initial construction than it is post construction. When a homeowner makes the decision to install the solar hot water heating system, a few preparations during initial construction can substantially reduce costs during final installation, and will also ensure that the system provides maximum energy savings.
Making a home Solar Hot Water Ready allows the homeowner the option of easy, more cost effective installation of a solar hot water heater when they’re ready.
It will also maximize system performance when it’s installed as roof orientation is taken into consideration during the building and design process of construction. Substantial savings are realized when the solar hot water system is installed as the basic construction and structural requirements will be in place. Having a home Solar Hot Water Ready will improve the aesthetic look of the system as all plumbing and electrical wires will be hidden inside the walls as opposed to running outside the building.
Question: Why is the Province proposing an optional Solar Hot Water Ready requirement?
Answer: The proposed Solar Hot Water Ready requirement would enable local governments to mandate that all new single family dwellings be solar hot water ready within their communities.
With British Columbia’s varying geography, not all communities will benefit from solar installations. Supporting, rather than enforcing, sustainable innovation in construction allows interested B.C. communities the opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to the green economy.
Question: How much will this cost?
Answer: Generally, making a house solar ready will add approximately $300-$500 (including labour) to the cost of building a new home. This estimate considers pipes, accommodation and design requirements for future installation of a solar hot water system.
Question: Why do we need a Solar Hot Water Ready requirement?
Answer: A number of local governments have expressed interest in becoming Solar Ready Communities. Creating an optional Solar Hot Water requirement that local governments can choose to apply will provide consistent standards across B.C. as individuals and communities embrace green technologies to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, increase efficiency and save money.
The proposed Solar Hot Water Ready proposed requirement is another step the Province is taking in fulfilling its promise to take aggressive action to combat climate change. We learned during the first phase of Greening the BC Building Code that industry and local governments prefer regulations that are flexible, support local governments as leaders in adopting standards, and work for communities of all sizes. The proposed optional Solar Hot Water Ready requirement would meet all of these criteria.
Question: What is included in the proposed Solar Hot Water Ready requirement?
Answer: The Solar Hot Water Ready requirement would apply in the following areas:
- Required space designated for the solar collector
- Mandatory structural requirements for areas designated for a solar collector and
- Conduit specifications
Question: What are the best practices for becoming Solar Hot Water Ready?
Answer: The Province is completing a ‘Best Practices Guideline’ for local governments, the building industry, and the general public to reference when preparing to build solar ready.
Natural Resources Canada and the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CANSIA) have developed best practices guidelines which can be accessed on their respective websites.
Question: Why is this only applicable to single family homes?
Answer: The Province is currently exploring other building types that would benefit from being Solar Hot Water Ready. The Province will explore possible implementation in other building types based on feedback from local governments, the building industry and the public.
Question: When would the proposed requirements come into effect?
Answer: We are committed to providing lead-in time to allow those who use the code to prepare for the changes. Once analysis of the feedback collected from the public review is complete we will more forward with implementation.
