Consistently on the cutting-edge of environmental concerns, San Francisco proves once again why it is one of the “greenest” cities in the country. Recently, the “City by the Bay” passed legislation that will require all newly built residential and commercial properties to install solar rooftop panels.

The new mandate, which only applies to buildings with less than 10 stories, will make San Francisco the largest city in the U.S. to make solar panels mandatory. Other sun-drenched locals, such as Dubai, the most populated city in the United Arab Emirates, have already moved towards mandatory solar, with the final goal to achieve the world’s smallest carbon footprint by 2050.

Two words: Smart and Efficient

SF City Supervisor Scott Wiener, who developed the legislation, believes the law will push other large U.S. cities to move towards compulsory solar panel installation. “In a dense, urban environment, we need to be smart and efficient about how we maximize the use of our space to achieve goals such as promoting renewable energy and improving our environment,” Weiner said in a statement.

And if there’s one way to “promote renewable energy,” solar panels are the way to go. The San Francisco statute could reduce the city’s carbon footprint by 26,000 metric tons — eliminating Co2 emissions equal to almost three million gallons of gasoline, according to the EPA’s greenhouse gas calculator.

She Left Her Heart in San Francisco

The new bill is garnering praise from Bernadette Del Chiaro, executive director of CALSEIA. “We applaud San Francisco for its environmental leadership and commitment to rooftop solar energy, in particular. Solar panels were designed with roofs in mind, and integrating this technology into our built environment is a no-brainer for our sun-filled and energy-intensive cities.”

It’s not surprising San Francisco is taking a leadership role in the adoption of solar. The city has a vested interest in slowing the advance of climate change — considering it is bordered on three sides by shoreline. The legislation’s verbiage addresses the city’s potential future if steps aren’t taken:

“San Francisco is vulnerable to sea level rise, and human activities releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere cause increases in worldwide average temperature, which contribute to melting of glaciers and thermal expansion of ocean water — resulting in rising sea levels. San Francisco is already experiencing the repercussions of excessive CO2 emissions as rising sea levels threaten the City’s shoreline and infrastructure.”

Raising the Roof

Although the this latest initiative is groundbreaking, California law already requires all new construction to set aside at least 15 percent of roof space that’s in direct sunlight to allow for future installations of solar panels. San Francisco’s law just “raises the roof “on rooftop solar adoption somewhat.

And although San Francisco has it’s finger on the pulse of renewable energy, the Antelope Valley city of Lancaster beat San Francisco to the solar panel punch, approving a bill to require housing developers to install solar with every new home back in 2013.

But as the trend of solar panel requirements continues, other states and cities are not far behind. This week, Maine lawmakers introduced a bill to grow their own use of solar energy. The bill focuses on the development of expansive solar farms, as well as facilitating easier home panel installation.

Interested in finding out more about how installing solar panels on your rooftop can help you drive your electric bill down to zero? Contact us today for a free quote.