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City and County of San Francisco Green Building, Environment Codes - Better Roof Requirements for Renewable Energy Facilities

Regulations
California
2016
Municipal
County Of San Francisco   
Urban | Suburban | Rural
In order to combat climate change and its potential effects on the peninsula based city, San Francisco has become the first large American city to enact an ordinance mandating that all new structures, fewer than 10 stories tall, must be outfitted with solar panels. This ordinance will take effect in 2017. The San Francisco ordinance exceeds the requirements set by state law mandating that new buildings must reserve a “solar zone” of roof space for the installation of solar panels. Although the article states that the California law mandates a solar zone of 15% of the rooftop, the dimensions vary based on the size of the roof and structures.