Codes and Standards

Solar carports can help with California’s Title 24 mandates

Feb. 6, 2019

Solar carports, virtual net-metering software, and tax-enabled financing can help apartment builders and owners meet California’s new Title 24 mandates.

Starting Jan. 1, 2020, all new residential buildings in California under three stories tall must include solar panels. New homes must produce more energy than they use by 2020; new commercial buildings must become net-zero by 2030.

Multifamily properties will be required to disclose their properties’ energy usage to show their level of Title 24 compliance in June 2019. Solar energy will be a critical component in compliance strategies.

A new company called “Powering Title 24” is offering solar-enabled carports that it says provides substantial tax credits and accelerated depreciation benefits. The tax benefits, the company says, offset the construction costs of the carport, which provides a base for the racking system for the PV unit.

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