Broward County Advantage Marketing Program In-Kind Exchange Agreement

Transcription

1 Broward County Advantage Marketing Program In-Kind Exchange Agreement PROJECT: AGENCY: TITLE: Go SOLAR - Broward Rooftop Solar Challenge Broward County Environmental Planning and Growth Management Department Broward Go SOLAR Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Rooftop Mounting System Design Plans VALUE: Estimated between $600 and $3,000 CONTACT: Name: Dennis Pustizzi, Assistant Building Official, Permitting, Licensing and Consumer Protection Division Address: 1 North University Drive, Suite 1304A, Plantation, Florida Telephone: , x dpustizzi@broward.org This agreement is entered into by and between Broward County, Florida (County) and (Company). I. INTRODUCTION The Go SOLAR Broward Rooftop Challenge (Go SOLAR) is in the process of making it easier, faster and cheaper for businesses and homeowners to install rooftop photovoltaic solar systems (rooftop PV systems) by streamlining the building permit process. Go SOLAR is off to a great start with a standardized permit fee of $ across 15 jurisdictions in Broward County and a model streamlined zoning ordinance to facilitate rooftop PV systems. As the most visible step in the process, the Go SOLAR On- Demand web-based permitting system presents an exciting in-kind exchange Advantage Marketing opportunity for rooftop PV mounting system manufacturers to feature their products in this leading-edge permitting system. The concept behind the Go SOLAR on-demand, web-based permitting system goes beyond typical expedited permitting as outlined in the Solar ABC s. Rather than requiring applicants to prepare plans and then wait for review, the on-demand system will be loaded with off-the shelf, pre-approved, pre-engineered solar PV mounting systems and electrical schematics allowing the issuance of a permit within minutes. (For a custom rooftop PV solution, the regular permitting processes will remain available.) Through this Advantage Marketing Agreement, a company will provide an electronic set or sets of rooftop PV system design plans as outlined in this agreement. In exchange, Broward County will: include the company s plans and required equipment list, as submitted under this agreement, as an option on its Go SOLAR on-demand, web-based permitting system, which could eventually be expanded beyond Broward County; will maintain the mounting plans on the permitting system for the life of the system; will provide marketing services to increase customer traffic to the web-based permitting system; will provide marketing services to encourage the use of rooftop PV systems within Broward County; will seek further improvements in permitting and zoning and PV system financing, as stipulated in the US Department of

2 Energy (DOE) Rooftop Solar Challenge agreement between DOE and Broward County; and will publish a profile of the company in the Go SOLAR electronic newsletter. II. BACKGROUND Broward County was recently awarded a Department of Energy Rooftop Solar Challenge Grant ( The goal of the grant is to dramatically increase the installations of rooftop PV systems at residences and small businesses. Under the grant, Broward County will develop a web-based, streamlined permitting application and permit approval process. The application will permit users to select from a list of pre-approved PV modules, electrical schematics, and rooftop mounting solutions. Preapproved plans associated with the applicant s selections will be submitted and automatically combined into an electronic permit immediately issued to the applicant. These plans will have been evaluated against the State of Florida standards for solar energy systems, as established by the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) ( in accordance with Section of the Florida Statutes. As FSEC is a partner with Broward County in the grant, details for PV modules are already readily available and generic electrical schematics will be developed within Broward County. However, there is little guidance for design professionals regarding the structural attachment of PV Arrays to rooftops. Standard plans for mounting options are required and are therefore being sought through this in-kind agreement. Broward County is the second most populated county in the State of Florida, with an estimated population of 1.7 million residents, which is expected to increase 12% over the next 20 years, and there are approximately 686,000 households. Broward is the only organization in the southeast United States to receive funds from the program, and one of only 22 recipients in the nation. A chief criterion of the webbased, streamlined permitting solution is the replicability of the web-based permitting process the ease with which Broward s web-based system can be reused elsewhere. Finally, there is a second round of competitive grants to be issued during a Phase 2 of the program, which Broward County will seek with the intent of expanding Broward s solution regionally and statewide. The Go SOLAR team has investigated the design requirements for pre-engineered solar PV solutions. Both electrical and structural criteria were considered and solar contractors were surveyed statewide to determine the most commonly installed solar PV configurations in Florida. Electrical requirements, including the capacity of typical residential electrical service connections and the variability of solar PV module output and physical size, were determined to be the limiting factors. The survey results indicated that watt solar PV modules were the most commonly used with an average physical size of 65 x 39. Therefore, the Go SOLAR on-demand, web-based permitting system will initially be configured with rooftop mounting solutions that accommodate solar PV modules approximately 65 x 39 in dimension on the roof types and slopes as specified in Table 1. Page 2 of 10

3 To achieve nominal outputs in even increments that also fit within typical residential electrical service limitations, rooftop mounting system design plans are requested as outlined below: 1.25 kw system consisting of 5 nominal 250 watt 65 x 39 solar PV modules 2 kw system consisting of 8 nominal 250 watt 65 x 39 solar PV modules 3 kw system consisting of 12 nominal 250 watt 65 x 39 solar PV modules 4 kw system consisting of 16 nominal 250 watt 65 x 39 l solar PV modules 5 kw system consisting of 20 nominal 250 watt 65 x 39 solar PV modules 6 kw system consisting of 24 nominal 250 watt 65 x 39 solar PV modules 7 kw system consisting of 28 nominal 250 watt 65 x 39 solar PV modules To achieve nominal outputs in even increments that also fit within typical small commercial electrical service limitations, rooftop mounting system design plans are requested as outlined below: 10 kw system consisting of 40 nominal 250 watt 65 x 39 solar PV modules 15 kw system consisting of 60 nominal 250 watt 65 x 39 solar PV modules 20 kw system consisting of 80 nominal 250 watt 65 x 39 solar PV modules Any number of rooftop mounting system designs may be submitted for each of the configurations above as long as they meet the design requirements in Section III, below. As an example, a 4 kw rooftop solar mounting system for sixteen 65 x 39 solar PV modules may be submitted as six separate designs, a portrait orientation for Zone 1, a second for Zone 2 and a third for Zone 3 as well as a landscape orientation for Zone 1, a second for Zone 2 and a third for Zone 3. However, please note that all PV modules in a given design must be in the same relative position to the sun to allow for the use of a single inverter in the electrical schematics. III. ROOFTOP MOUNTING SYSTEM SOLUTION DESIGN REQUIREMENTS In order to be eligible for inclusion in the on-demand permitting system, the submitted plans and calculations must: 1. Comply with all requirements of the Florida Building Code (FBC) 2010, as same may be amended from time to time, including, but not limited to, design criteria, wind loads and dead loads, overturn and uplift, exposure, etc. Additionally, those provisions relating to the High Velocity Wind Zones (HVHZ) must be addressed. 2. Specify which approximately 65 x 39 FSEC approved watt PV modules are compatible with the rooftop mounting system design plans being submitted. Page 3 of 10

4 3. Be signed and sealed digitally or electronically by a Professional Engineer registered in the State of Florida. 4. The digitally or electronically signed and sealed plan drawing must depict the full configuration of each rooftop solar mounting system, including but not limited to the following: a. Number of 65"x39" PV modules. b. PV module configuration (number of rows and the number of modules in each row). c. PV module orientation (portrait or landscape). d. PV module tilt. e. Maximum roof slope (3:12 to 5:12 is the most common in South Florida). Please submit designs for flat roofs and sloped roofs in separate plan sets. f. Building height (preferably either 30' or 60'). g. Roof zone (specify if the design is for Zone 1, 2 or 3. If designing for multiple Zones, please provide separate design plans for each Zone. For example, if you design a 16 PV module configuration but wish to include variations for Zones 1, 2 and 3, please submit three separate 16 PV module sets of plans with detailed roof/structure attachment information in each.) h. Length and width of installed configuration (include an allowance for spacing between the PV modules and variances in actual panel width and length from the nominal 65 x 39 ). i. Number and spacing of both PV module-to-rail and rail-to-roof/structure attachments/mounts. j. Distance from the rail-to-roof/structure attachments/mounts (solar panel L-foot standoff connection). Please limit this distance to 3 to 12 above the roof. k. Details for attachment to all applicable roof/structure types and associated weatherproofing as required under all applicable FBC Sections, which may include but are not limited to FBC 2010 Sections 4402, 1620, 1609, 1515, 1522 and Table 1 includes the typical roof types for the South Florida area. While it is preferred that each rooftop solar mounting system configuration include details for attachment to the roof/structure for all roof types in the table, the design must provide mounting details for at least one of the listed roof types. l. Required quantity and model number of each rail/mount and roof attachment/weatherproofing component listed in tabular format. Page 4 of 10

5 Table 1. Typical roof types for South Florida. Roof Slope Covering Decking Structure Spacing 3:12 to 5:12 Shingle 1/2" Plywood 2 x 4-truss 2 x 8-rafter 24" O.C. 3:12 to 5:12 Flat tile " " " " 3:12 to 5:12 Barrel tile " " " " 3:12 to 5:12 Metal " " " " Flat Bituminous " " " " Flat Bituminous Concrete IV. FORMAT GUIDANCE FOR PLAN SUBMITTALS The on-demand permitting system is designed to provide comprehensive off-the shelf design plans that do not require reference to design tables, etc. The format guidance below is intended to illustrate the level of detail that should be included and is not an actual rooftop solar mounting system design. The format guidance is not intended to limit the flexibility of the design professional and does not include the necessary information and details required for an approved design either under the Florida Building Code or under this Advantage Marketing Agreement (see also Format Guidance Drawing 1 and 2, below). 1. Statement that the design complies with all requirements of the Florida Building Code (FBC) 2010, including, but not limited to, design criteria, wind loads and dead loads, overturn and uplift, exposure and the provisions relating to the High Velocity Wind Zones (HVHZ). List any restrictions on the design here such as required roof structure and condition, etc. 2. List each FSEC approved watt approximately 65 x 39 PV module by name that is compatible (dead load/uplift requirements) with the rooftop mounting system design. 3. Statement that the Florida registered professional engineer signed and sealed plan drawings attached depict the full configuration of each individual rooftop solar mounting design (which includes a detailed list as shown below). Note: The information below is not a design; it is merely provided as format guidance a design professional might use for submission of a mounting system design: a. Maximum roof slope is 5:12. b. Building height must be less than 60. c. Basic wind speed= 150 mph, Exposure C (For illustration only, see FBC 2010 and ASCE7-10 for actual values) d. 16 solar PV modules with maximum dimensions of 65"x40" arranged in two rows with 8 modules in each row. Page 5 of 10

6 e. The horizontal PV module span for the solar array must not exceed 27.1 (40 maximum module width inner module spacing) and the vertical module span must not exceed 10.9 (65 module height maximum inner module spacing). f. The solar PV module array must be installed in Zone 1. (Alternatively, this statement could read Zone 2 or Zone 3.) g. PV modules are to be installed in portrait orientation at 0 degree tilt with L-foot standoff connections 3 from the roof. h. (Rail Name) must be installed parallel to roof and perpendicular to roof joists. i. Rail span is 48 and end cantilever span is 8.5 (for two rail system). Alternatively, the design may use three rails per row, in which case this item might state provide three rails at 22 inches on center with an end cantilever span of 10.5 inches. (While the format guidance uses two rails for simplicity, two rails is not a recommendation and comments received during the review suggest three rails.) j. The attached design plans include details (refer to any provided detail # s in the drawings) for attachment to all applicable roof/structure types and associated weatherproofing as may be required under the FBC 2010 Sections 4402, 1620, 1609, 1515, 1522 and 1504 (as well as all other applicable FBC 2010 Sections). k. The required quantity and model number of each rail/mount and roof attachment/weatherproofing component is listed in Table 2 below. Table 2. Mounting System Configuration Description Quantity L foot 32 Rail Name 8 Splice Name 4 End Clamp Name 8 Mid Clamp Name 28 Roof Attachment Name 32 Page 6 of 10

7 Format Guidance Drawing 1 Page 7 of 10

8 Format Guidance Drawing 2 Page 8 of 10

9 Company shall at all times hereafter indemnify, hold harmless and, at the County Attorney s option, defend or pay for an attorney selected by the County Attorney to defend County, its officers, agents, servants, and employees from and against any and all causes of action, demands, claims, losses, liabilities and expenditures of any kind, including attorney fees, court costs, and expenses, caused or alleged to be caused by intentional or negligent act of, or omission of, Company, its employees, agents, servants, or officers, or accruing, resulting from, or related to the subject matter of this Agreement including, without limitation, any and all claims, losses, liabilities, expenditures, demands or causes of action of any nature whatsoever resulting from injuries or damages sustained by any person or property. In the event any lawsuit or other proceeding is brought against County by reason of any such claim, cause of action or demand, Company shall, upon written notice from County, resist and defend such lawsuit or proceeding by counsel satisfactory to County or, at County s option, pay for an attorney selected by County Attorney to defend County. The provisions and obligations of this section shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of this Agreement. Upon execution of this agreement, the digitally or electronically signed and sealed plans, in PDF format, shall be submitted via a single CD or jump drive to the Contact person indicated on page one of this agreement, and will include an original of this agreement executed by an officer of the Company. Each design plan PDF will be digitally or electronically signed and sealed by a Florida registered professional engineer and will depict a single mounting system configuration attached to one or more of those typical Florida roof structures represented in Table 1, above, and in accordance with the requirements listed above. Each design plan PDF will be named to identify the mount and roof type depicted in the design plan within that PDF file. (For example, JohnDoe-Model1- ShingleHalfInchPlaywood2x4Truss.pdf would contain the design plans for Manufacturer X s Model Y mounting system installed on a shingle roof with half inch plywood over a 2x4 truss). Finally, Company may, at their own discretion, include electrical schematics for each design plan. Each electrical schematic will be submitted as a PDF along with the associated design plan. Page 9 of 10

10 IN WITNESS WEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed, the day and year last written below: BROWARD COUNTY By: Title: Date: COMPANY NAME By: Title: Date: Phone: This document has been approved as to form by the Broward County Attorney s Office. By: Title: Date: Page 10 of 10