Resolution in Support of Better Roof Requirements for Renewable Energy Facilities Ordinance

[Support of Better Roof Requirements for Renewable Energy Facilities Ordinance File Number: 160154]

Resolution urging the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor to adopt File Number 160154, an Ordinance amending the Green Building Code and the Environment Code to establish requirements for certain new building construction facilitating development of renewable energy facilities (Better Roofs Ordinance).

WHEREAS, The City and County of San Francisco has a duty to protect the natural environment, the economy and the health of its citizens; and,

WHEREAS, Recognizing that buildings define the urban environment of San Francisco and much of the community’s environmental impact, San Francisco has created a comprehensive set of policy initiatives to improve the performance of new and existing buildings, which initiatives are regarded as among the most forward-thinking and effective policies in the world; and,

WHEREAS, In the United States, buildings account for 70 percent of the electricity, 40 percent of the raw materials, and 12 percent of the potable water and in San Francisco, 56 percent of greenhouse-gas emissions are attributable to buildings; and,

WHEREAS, The City and County of San Francisco is the second most densely populated City in the United States, and its rooftop space is a valuable resource that is currently underutilized; and,

WHEREAS, The City and County of San Francisco has established a goal under Board of Supervisors Ordinance No. 81-08 to have a greenhouse gas-free electric system in place by the year 2030 and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions citywide to 40 percent below 1990 levels by the year 2025 and 80 percent by the year 2050; and,

WHEREAS, The City and County of San Francisco has a particular interest in reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming because the City faces imminent effects of sea level rise; and,

WHEREAS, Installing solar electric systems to comply with the Better Roof Ordinance on the 200 biggest projects in the development pipeline would avoid over 26,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions over 25 years of operation; and,

WHEREAS, The addition of solar panels to the energy portfolio in the City and County of San Francisco contributes to the City’s resiliency against natural disasters; and,

WHEREAS, Solar energy has become increasingly cost effective and economically desirable since the cost to install solar electric systems has declined by 51 percent between 2008 and 2014 and with the installation activities having supported job creation; and,

WHEREAS, Supervisor Scott Wiener introduced legislation that would amend the Green Building Code and the Environment Code to establish requirements for certain new building construction facilitating the installation of rooftop solar electric and solar water heating systems; now, therefore, be it,

RESOLVED, That the Commission on the Environment urges the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor to adopt Supervisor Wiener’s legislation to establish requirements for the installation of solar energy systems on certain new building construction; and, be it,

FUTHER RESOLVED, That the Commission on the Environment recognizes that the Better Roofs Ordinance may help the City and County of San Francisco meet its goal of a greenhouse gas-free electric system by the year 2030.

I hereby certify that this Resolution was adopted at the Commission on the Environment’s Meeting on March 22, 2016.

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Anthony Valdez, Commission Affairs Manager

Vote:           5-0 Approved

Ayes:            Commissioners Omotalade, Hoyos, Stephenson, Wald and Wan

Noes:            None

Absent:         Commissioner Bermejo