Resource Library

An ordinance in force as of January 2012 that requires cool roofs on new and replacement low-sloped roofs. Roofs must have a minimum initial reflectance of 0.7 and initial thermal emittance of 0.75 or an SRI of 78. A number of specific roof conditions are included, which makes this a good model for other cities to build from. - See more at: http://www.coolrooftoolkit.org/knowledgebase/new-york-city-cool-roof-ordinance/#sthash.M7nZTFjZ.dpuf

To work towards the goal of a one-third electric taxi fleet in New York City by 2020, the Long-Term Electric Taxi Task Force was commissioned to bring together many of the stakeholders who could provide insight into what it would take to meet this goal. This report and its recommendations is the result of their research.

This report is the result of a Department of Energy grant-funded project that has coordinated the input of stakeholders and partners to formulate a plan for electric vehicle charging and infrastructure deployment in New York City. It contains recommendations for increasing charger access through building codes and other measures as well as for improving electric vehicle economics.

This document describes the requirements for efficiency measures used for the building envelopes of nonresidential, high-rise residential, and hotel/motel occupancy buildings under the 2013 edition of California's Building Energy Efficiency Standards, which are widely regarded as the most stringent building energy standards available. Building officials as well as specialists who participate in the design and construction of buildings can find guidance to improve building envelope performance heating.

This is a 4 page excerpt from the NSTAR Electric Interconnection Standards document. It describes the dispute resolution procedure, which is a multi-stage process beginning with good faith negotiation, then mediation, followed by non-binding arbitration and then adjudication.

NV Energy's simple two-page factsheet on solar water heating contains a basic overview of the technology, as well as useful information about NV Energy's own financial incentives and advice for selecting an eligible contractor.

NV Energy's Solar Thermal Water Program Handbook covers their residential incentive program in detail, which offers one-time cash incentives for qualifying solar hot water systems installed by an eligible contractor in NV Energy’s service territory. It discusses considerations for potential customers, such as energy efficiency upgrades prior to installation, tax issues, available incentives, and steps to implementation.

The NYC °CoolRoofs initiative encourages building owners to cool their rooftops by applying a reflective white coating that reduces energy use, cooling costs and carbon emissions, through offering roof coating how-to's and resources, volunteer-led roof coatings, and more.

The Cleaner Greener Communities Program creates partnerships to encourage the development and implementation of local energy projects by educating community members on the economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency and renewable resources. Visit source link below to access the program website.

The Center for the Built Environment has developed a web-based tool to calculate thermal comfort levels. The tool is designed to comply with ASHRAE Standard 55, which specifies conditions for acceptable thermal environments and is intended for use in design, operation, and commissioning of buildings and other occupied space.

To address the safety issues associated with energy storage and enable the success of increased energy storage deployment, the Department of Energy's Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE) has worked with industry and other stakeholders to develop the Energy Storage Safety Strategic Plan, a roadmap for grid energy storage safety that addresses the range of grid-scale, utility, community, and residential energy storage technologies being deployed across the Nation. The Plan highlights safety validation techniques, incident preparedness, safety codes, standards, and regulations, and makes recommendations for near- and long-term actions.

To achieve higher savings from energy efficiency programs for buildings, it is imperative to assist property owners with financing the upfront costs of efficiency improvements. On-bill financing (OBF) can support this goal by leveraging an electric or natural gas utility’s unique relationship with their energy customers to provide convenient access to funding for energy efficiency investments. This report describes the benefits of OBF as well as barriers, and delves further into OBF program design and considerations.

This resource provides background on the key differences between on-bill financing (OBF) for residential and small commercial properties, addresses the concerns for OBF in this market, and discusses various implementation options.

This resource provides a survey of experiences with on-bill financing (OBF) programs to date, as well as a discussion on their various structures and applications. This policy brief is designed for utilities and/or states that are considering implementing an OBF program.

This guide describes a variety of approaches that local governments can use to advance climate and energy goals by meeting some or all of their electricity needs through on-site renewable energy generation. It is designed to be used by municipal energy coordinators, local energy and environment agency staff, environmental and energy advisors to elected officials, utility staff, and community groups.

The City of Novato's building department website lists out what type of minor residential projects, many of which could be considered energy efficiency upgrades, do not require comprehensive plans. The site details required submittal information for these projects as well as the hours of operation for the over-the-counter permit review. Cities can similarly list out examples of minor permits on their website.

PECI offers two online trainings, Commissioning Authority Training and Energy Auditor Training, whose curriculum was developed by PECI, the Building Commissioning Association (BCA), and the Center for Building Knowledge at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. More information about the program and fees can be found on PECI's website.

This weblink provides a case study for accepting solar permit applications online. There is also defined criteria for what types of projects are eligible to submit online. This model language can be used by other jurisdictions.

This 3 page extract from the Connecticut Permitting Guide discusses some of the platforms available for e-permitting in the state (though most have nationwide applicability). Platforms mentioned include Simply Civic, ViewPermit, CityView, EnerGov, and others. The key features of each are covered, with links.

The Aurora Solar Installations webpage contains an inspection fact sheet which outlines the inspection process and highlights the main items which will be checked. Click to the first link below download the checklist, or visit the source link below to access the website directly. The website also has information on permit submittal requirements, the City's renewable energy ordinance, and other solar-related topics.

The City of Palo Alto has a dedicated webpage for solar information. The page contains links for both residential and commercial inspection checklists in addition to detailing permit submittals and providing information on rebates, net metering, and interconnection. The first hyperlink below displays the residential checklist and the second is the commercial checklist. Click the source link below to visit Palo Alto's page directly, where you'll find extensive additional info.

The City of Denver has a dedicated solar webpage providing a guide to the permitting process for residential solar. The webpage features expandable sections detailing the process, required permits and approvals, required submittals, fees, time frame, and inspection information. The hyperlink below contains a snapshot of the webpage. Visit the source link below to access the website directly.

A one-stop shop for solar permitting information, submittal checklists, and instructions for how to submit electronically. This resource can serve as a model for other jurisdictions looking to go electronic. Visit the source link below to access the website directly.

The Sacramento Permit Streamline Program website details the solar permit and inspection process. The hyperlink below displays a 9-page document that details the process description, required approvals, fee schedule, submission checklist, inspection guidelines, and sample plans. Visit the source link below to access the website directly.

The City of San Jose has a dedicated solar webpage which serves as a one-stop shop for solar permitting information, submittal checklists, fee information, and local solar ordinances. This site can serve as a model for other jurisdictions looking to include more information online. The first hyperlink below is a snapshot of the website, the second is a 2-page informational handout available for download describing the permit process and required submittals in detail.