Rooftop PV: What You Need to Know About Building and Fire Codes
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SEI Course May 2013 Created May 2013 Rooftop PV: What You Need To Know About Building and Fire Codes James R. Kirby, AIA VP of Sustainability Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved ARCHITECTURE AND BUILDING SCIENCE § VP of Sustainability § Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing § Masters of Architecture, Structures § University of Illinois § Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Design and Construction § Boston Architectural College, Sustainable Design Institute ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved James Kirby, AIA 1 SEI Course May 2013 Today’s Topic § Why PV Matters § Roof System Basics § The Rooftop PV Industry § Codes Background § IBC 2012 § Fire resistance § IRC 2012 § IFC 2012 § Warranties + Liability, ROI vs LCA, Credentials ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved Created May 2013 Why PV Matters ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved James Kirby, AIA 2 SEI Course May 2013 Global concerns § 2012 = 7 Billion people § 2030 = 10 Billion people § In 2030, the world will need: § 50% more food § 45% more energy § 30% more water § PV will be part of the solution Source: Connie Hedegaard, EU Commissioner for Climate Action “Economic Growth 2.0” in G8 Climate Change magazine for the 38th G8 Summit, Camp David, Maryland, USA, 18-19 May, 2012 ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved Buildings § In the United States, the buildings sector (C, I, R) accounted for about 41% of primary energy consumption in 2010. § Commercial buildings (C) consume approximately 20% of all energy in the US. § Total building primary energy consumption in 2009 was about 48% higher than consumption in 1980. § Space heating, space cooling, and lighting were the dominant end used in 2010, accounting for close to half of all energy consumed in the buildings sector. buildingsdatabook.eren.doe.gov ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved James Kirby, AIA 3 SEI Course May 2013 Rooftop PV Possibilities § Currently, approx. 3.0 billion square feet of roof installed annually (0.5B new; 2.5B reroof) § If 25% of the roof areas included PV, we’d have 750M square feet/year of PV § At 5W/square foot, that’s 3.75 GW/year § A very conservative assumption § Assume 4 hours of production each day, that’s 15 GWhours/year. § The equivalent of about 1.5 million homes/year could be powered by rooftop PV. ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved Created May 2013 Roof System Basics ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved James Kirby, AIA 4 SEI Course May 2013 Low-slope Roof Types § Built-up § Modified Bitumen § EPDM § PVC § TPO § SPF § Metal ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved Low-slope Roof Systems: Membranes § Surface § Membrane § Cover Board § Insulation § Multiple layers; no thermal breaks Graphic: NRCA § Vapor Retarder/Air Barrier § Base Layer (Fire Barrier?) § Roof Deck ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved James Kirby, AIA 5 SEI Course May 2013 Low-slope Roof Systems: SPF and Metal Graphic: roofinganswers.blogspot.com Graphic: Butler Mfg ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved Steep-slope Roofing Types § Asphalt Shingles § Clay and Concrete Tiles § Metal Panels and Metal Shingles § Wood Shakes and Shingles § Slates § Synthetics ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved James Kirby, AIA 6 SEI Course May 2013 Steep-slope Roofs ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved Steep-slope Roofs ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved James Kirby, AIA 7 SEI Course May 2013 Steep-slope Roofs ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved Steep-slope Roofs; Shingle Concept ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved James Kirby, AIA 8 SEI Course May 2013 Steep-slope Roofs: Metal Panels ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved Created May 2013 The Rooftop PV Industry ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved James Kirby, AIA 9 SEI Course May 2013 PV :: Current Products • Roof mount • Low-slope roofs: • Primarily ballasted/non- penetrating rack systems • Adhered, penetrating racks • Steep-slope roofs • Primarily penetrating attachment systems • Adhered, BIPV ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved PV Installation Options § How PVs are installed changes which part of the building code you use… Adhered, PV shingles, Racks… § Adhered rely on wind load of roof systems, and should be tested by roof manufacturer. § BIPVs are tested like “shingles” and other steep-slope products § Racks are “components” and require their own independent testing … by the racking manufacturers. § FYI: Only one of these options allows reroofing to occur without decommissioning the PV system ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved James Kirby, AIA 10 SEI Course May 2013 Created May 2013 Codes Background ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved “Electrical” codes § You’re aware of the “electrical” codes, the PV specific codes. For example: § UL 1703 (includes fire resistance), UL 1741, UL 2703 § IEEE 1262, IEEE 1547 § IEC 61215, IEC 61646 § NFPA 70: National Electric Code (Article 690) § NFPA 1: National Fire Code § …and more ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved James Kirby, AIA 11 SEI Course May 2013 Codes for Buildings: I-Codes § International Code Council § Published every 3 years § 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012 § 15 model codes produced by ICC § International Building Code § International Residential Code, § International Fire Code § And: § Mechanical, Plumbing, Fuel Gas, Energy Conservation, Existing Building, Wildland Urban Interface, Performance, Property Maintenance, Zoning, Private Sewage, Green Construction, Swimming Pool and Spa ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved International Code Council www.iccsafe.org § The International Building Code (IBC) is in use or adopted in 50 states, Washington DC, US V.I., NYC, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands § The International Residential Code (IRC) is in use or adopted in 49 states, Washington DC, U.S. Virgin Islands § The International Fire Code (IFC) is in use or adopted in 43 states, Washington DC, NYC, Guam and Puerto Rico Source: ICC website, May 2013 ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved James Kirby, AIA 12 SEI Course May 2013 “MEETING THE BUILDING CODE” MEANS YOU DID THE MINIMUM TO BE LEGAL! Creat ed May IBC/IRC/IFC 2012 § Each will have specific code language regarding roof- mounted PV systems § IBC: differentiating between adhered, PV shingles and rack systems § IRC: differentiating between PV and solar thermal (hot water) § IFC: access to and on rooftop, safety on rooftop ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved James Kirby, AIA 13 SEI Course May 2013 IBC vs IRC § Roofs don’t differentiate between residential and commercial. The “occupancy” doesn’t affect the roof, in general. § IBC does not mean low-slope only. § IRC does not mean steep-slope only. § IBC is generally more performance based § IRC is generally more prescriptive based § For enforcement reasons, primarily ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved Created May 2013 IBC, 2012 Edition ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved James Kirby, AIA 14 SEI Course May 2013 International Building Code, 2012 Edition § “The International Building Code® (IBC®) is a model code that provides minimum requirements to safeguard the public health, safety and general welfare of the occupants of new and existing buildings and structures.” § Performance based § 35 Chapters § A-M Appendices § Chapter 15 is about roofing ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved IBC 2012, Chapter 15 Roof Assemblies and Rooftop Structures § 1501 General § 1502 Definitions § 1503 Weather Protection § 1504 Performance Requirements § 1505 Fire Classification § 1506 Materials § 1507 Requirements for Roof Coverings § 1508 Roof Insulation § 1509 Rooftop Structures § 1510 Reroofing § 1511 Solar Photovoltaic Panels/Modules ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved James Kirby, AIA 15 SEI Course May 2013 IBC 2012, Chapter 15 § “PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES/ SHINGLES. A roof covering composed of flat-plate photovoltaic modules fabricated in sheets that resemble three-tab composite shingles.” § Definition in Chapter 2 ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved IBC 2012, Chapter 15 Graphic: Quick Mount PV ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved James Kirby, AIA 16 SEI Course May 2013 IBC 2012, Chapter 15 § Wind resistance § “Roof decks and roof coverings shall be designed for wind loads in accordance with Chapter 16 and Sections 1504.2, 1504.3 and 1504.4.” § PV module/shingle is a “…roof covering…” ©2013 Center For Environmental Innovation in Roofing, All Rights Reserved IBC 2012, Chapter 15 § Wind resistance of an adhered module/panel will be based on the roof system manufacturer. § Wind