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California Requires New Homes Have Solar Panels, Energy Efficiency

By Shanna Edberg
July 18, 2018

In mid-May, the California Energy Commission voted unanimously to approve building standards that will require new California homes to have rooftop solar panels, greater energy efficiency, better ventilation, and lighting standards for commercial buildings. All in all, these rules will lead to a reduction of 493 million pounds of carbon emissions every year. The commission projects that the new rules will add $30 per month to a typical monthly mortgage payment, but save households $80 per month in energy costs. It is hoped that the requirement will lead to a virtuous cycle of adopting solar energy and energy efficiency: “This could ultimately drive down the price of rooftop solar by building expertise in the roofing and home construction industries, creating incentives for home builders to streamline their building and solar designs to minimize cost.”