January 1, 2014 will be a red letter day for solar energy advocates.

California Energy Commission Regulators are on the verge of approving powerful new rules that will govern how new homes and buildings must be built. These regulations will impose energy efficiency standards, and they will include mandates that have “green energy” mavens cheering. As of January 1, 2014, new buildings will need “solar ready roofs,” as stipulated by the revised Building Energy Efficiency Standards of the California Code of Regulations.

Homeowners and business owners won’t have to install a solar photovoltaic system, but they must be able to support such a system.

On top of that, the Energy Commission is celebrating other requirements:

• Whole house fans for new homes;
• Sophisticated lighting controls for business buildings to reduce electricity consumption;
• Better window performance to conserve energy;
• Other improvements in cooling, heating, ventilation, water use, and lighting.

The Energy Commission estimates that the new requirements will tack on some costs to building/remodeling projects: about 11 dollars a month, on average. But frugal builders need not fear. The energy efficiencies should create savings that swamp these added costs. The Energy Commission says that utility bills should be depressed by $27 a month – a net savings of $16 a month to consumers!

Thanks to rapidly innovating technologies, a home built in 2013 will be 25% more energy efficient than a home built back in 2008 – a huge improvement in just about half a decade.

If you are a Northern California homeowner or business owner who wants to save on your heating bill, contribute to a greener planet, or just explore alternative roofing and energy systems, connect with the team here at Century Roof & Solar. Our seasoned professionals can help you select the right kind of roof system or roof maintenance process for your needs and keep your project on schedule, on budget, and on time.