You can upload an image of your blueprint in Aurora to model your site.
Aurora Solar, the solar industry’s leading software platform for distributed solar (and sponsor of this year’s Rooftop Report), is the first—and currently only—to formally receive the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) certification as an approved solar assessment tool for solar access verification for new home construction.
As of January 1st of this year, California’s updated 2019 Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Title 24, Part 6) requires all new construction for single- and multi-family homes under three stories to install solar panels. “This new solar mandate presents new challenges for the homebuilding industry—especially designing PV systems for buildings and measuring solar access for roofs that haven’t been constructed yet,” said Meredith McClintock, Head of Business Development for Aurora Solar. “Aurora helps solar installers, builders, and others overcome these challenges; our tools enable professionals to quickly and correctly size PV systems, and export reports that can be submitted to the CEC.”
Aurora Solar’s team has been working with the CEC’s Efficiency Division since September 2019, as well as industry professionals to determine how best software can help the industry meet the requirements of Title 24. “We collaborated right from the get-go. They are, of course, the experts on the solar mandate, and their input was invaluable,” continues McClintock.
Aurora can generate an irradiance map showing the solar irradiance at every point on the roof of your site model.
In addition to getting Aurora approved for the uses as specified in Appendix JA11.4 Solar Access Verification (a), Aurora Solar’s team put together a guide to help the industry navigate the solar mandate. Included in the guide is the new process homebuilders will need to adopt in order to certify their PV systems, a step-by-step guide on how to use Aurora in the new workflow, and additional resources such as all the required documentation needed for compliance. Samuel Adeyemo, Aurora Solar’s Co-founder expressed his delight at the CEC’s approval. “The CEC’s stated ambition in enacting the solar mandate is to help homeowners use less energy, while helping them save money. We are excited to help the solar and building community easily, and cost effectively, meet the CEC’s design requirements.”
Key Benefits of Aurora
- Model the site from an uploaded blueprint, and quickly and accurately create Title 24-compliant PV system designs
- Accurately estimate how much energy a PV system will produce
- Can be used in both the performance and prescriptive method to size the minimum required PV system
- Aurora’s shade reports are accepted as the required documentation for solar access of PV systems
Residential Rooftop Report
A focus on new home solar business for solar installers
The Residential Rooftop Report for 2020 focuses on solar PV sales and installs for the new home market. There is a lot of opportunity in this segment and much more to come – as long as you are prepared for it. Once again we’ve teamed up with PV design software specialists Aurora Solar to explore the nuances of designing PV systems for hew homes and to share a few other ways to modernize your solar sales and design process. Fill out the form below to access your free report.
Contents
- Modern Solar Sales: How top teams use software to win
- A New Solar Construct: How to design and sell PV in a key emerging market
- Two big trends in residential solar financing
- Best practices for selling high-efficiency modules
- Side Business: Three solar contractors discuss selling and constructing solar-covered patios
— Solar Builder magazine
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