Missoula County opposes HB 241: Prohibit government from requiring buildings be constructed with solar panels, up for second reading on the House floor this afternoon. This is an anti-solar bill that precludes the experts at the Montana Building Code Bureau from adopting the solar-related building codes available in the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and prevents local governments from implementing those codes and any similar requirements. This directly targets solar-integrated and solar-ready construction, including restrictions on battery storage and electric vehicle charging equipment. Solar-integrated design means a solar system is included during the construction effort. Solar-ready design does not require solar during construction but requires thoughtfully placed wiring and conduit in the building to facilitate easier solar installation down the road.
This bill is out of step with expert advice. The Montana Building Codes Bureau recently adopted the 2021 IECC, and the updated building code and associated appendices were adopted after being thoroughly vetted via extensive public process and expert review. The Bureau intentionally gave local governments the option to adopt solar related appendices at their own discretion.
This bill is also anti-consumer. When included during construction, the minor additions that buildings need in order to integrate solar, batteries or electric vehicle charging equipment in the future can be completed at a fraction of the cost compared to making those alterations after construction is completed. As an example, technical research and industry stakeholder input suggests that the complexity and cost implications for solar-ready design are minimal (approx. $200 to $1000), especially when compared to the total cost of a home (0.33% of a $300,000 home). Prohibiting this efficient approach to enabling these technologies will unnecessarily cost homeowners and building owners more money. This bill is also out of step with the Governor’s goals of lowering costs to consumers and adopting innovative technologies that support local industries. Montana households and businesses across the state are installing solar, battery storage and electric vehicle technologies which demonstrates that these are in-demand services. This bill undermines those interests by adding unnecessary cost and complexity for Montanans.
Missoula County supports the proposed amendment made available on Wednesday, March 22, to HB 241: Prohibit government from requiring buildings be constructed with solar panels, which was up for hearing on Monday, March 20, in the Senate Local Government Committee. This amendment would vastly improve this bill, because it removes all references to local government adoption, so it maintains a preemption on the state-level action, but not local. This amendment would also narrow the scope of the bill, so it only prohibits solar panels and EV charging stations as opposed to EV wiring and conduits, solar-ready wiring, power supply, etc.
Missoula County’s original concerns with the bill were related to local control and being able to support solar-ready designs.
Missoula County opposes, as amended, HB 241: Prohibit government from requiring buildings be constructed with solar panels, up for second reading on the House floor this afternoon. This is an anti-solar bill that precludes the experts at the Montana Building Code Bureau from adopting the solar-related building codes available in the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and prevents local governments from implementing those codes and any similar requirements. This directly targets solar-integrated and solar-ready construction, including restrictions on battery storage and electric vehicle charging equipment. Solar-integrated design means a solar system is included during the construction effort. Solar-ready design does not require solar during construction but requires thoughtfully placed wiring and conduit in the building to facilitate easier solar installation down the road.
This bill is out of step with expert advice. The Montana Building Codes Bureau recently adopted the 2021 IECC, and the updated building code and associated appendices were adopted after being thoroughly vetted via extensive public process and expert review. The Bureau intentionally gave local governments the option to adopt solar related appendices at their own discretion.
This bill is also anti-consumer. When included during construction, the minor additions that buildings need in order to integrate solar, batteries or electric vehicle charging equipment in the future can be completed at a fraction of the cost compared to making those alterations after construction is completed. As an example, technical research and industry stakeholder input suggests that the complexity and cost implications for solar-ready design are minimal (approx. $200 to $1000), especially when compared to the total cost of a home (0.33% of a $300,000 home). Prohibiting this efficient approach to enabling these technologies will unnecessarily cost homeowners and building owners more money. This bill is also out of step with the Governor’s goals of lowering costs to consumers and adopting innovative technologies that support local industries. Montana households and businesses across the state are installing solar, battery storage and electric vehicle technologies which demonstrates that these are in-demand services. This bill undermines those interests by adding unnecessary cost and complexity for Montanans.
Good afternoon Mr. Chair and Members of the Committee, My name is Caroline Bean (B-E-A-N) and I live in Missoula, MT where I serve as the Climate Action Program Manager for Missoula County. We stand in opposition to this bill. The bill sponsor has stated the intent of HB241 is to avoid putting undue costs on homeowners and building owners. Missoula County could not agree more with this intent, though this bill does not fully accomplish that. Requiring the installation of solar panels, battery storage, or electric vehicle charging equipment may not be the best fit for all Montanans. However, ensuring that homes are ready for these technologies can save folks money if they should decide it’s the right choice for them. We have heard arguments that this bill still leaves the decision up to the homeowner during the design process. However, most people, especially those interested in purchasing starter homes, aren’t involved in the actual construction of their new home. In fact, the U.S. Census Bureau found that only 20% of homes were custom built by the owner. Instead, the vast majority of people are buying a home where someone else made those design decisions. Having standards and codes that help enable these decisions later on is an important role for local jurisdictions to play. As a previous opponent said, the cost of a home is more than just its purchase price – it is the ongoing cost of a home, too, like monthly utility bills. Montanans who are most impacted by the increasing cost of housing also stand to gain the most from the savings generated by installing solar or driving an EV. The upfront costs for these technologies increase substantially when a building isn’t solar- or EV-ready, and for some, these additional upfront costs can be the deciding factor on whether or not they’re able to access these economic benefits at all. Fortunately, we can preserve the option to utilize these technologies with just a few hundred dollars. Technical research and industry stakeholder input suggests that the cost of additional materials for solar-ready design are $200 - $1000, which is effectively a rounding error on a $420,000 home (which is about the average across the state right now, according to Zillow). Not only do these provisions save money, they also save homeowners time and complication. While solar and EVs might still feel futuristic, I want to draw your attention to a parallel example with a technology that also felt futuristic many years ago: the Internet. Two years ago, I rented a home in downtown Missoula that had never installed Internet. There was no internet jack or wiring, and I had to make special arrangements with my Internet provider to have this installed. Had the building already had the wiring and equipment in place, I could have picked up an Internet modem at my own convenience and installed it myself. Instead, I had to pay for a representative to come to my house and install new wiring and a new port. I even had to take the day off to accommodate their work schedule. It was incredibly frustrating and costly on all fronts! Solar and EVs are becoming more ubiquitous, and soon we may think about them like we think about the Internet today. This bill, unfortunately, sets us up for many homeowners to find themselves in a situation like the one I found myself in with the Internet. Lastly, whether or not a local government has these requirements should be a question put to its citizens. Any of the requirements identified in this bill would go through a public participation process, where County residents could help us weigh the pros and cons. Removing the decision from the local level would tie local government’s hands to adequately respond to constituent requests. We ask that you preserve our ability to make this local decision at the local level. For these reasons, as well as for the overall goal of improving housing affordability, we ask for a do-not pass. Thank you, and I am happy to stand for questions.
Good afternoon Chair Brewster and members of the Committee, My name is Andrew Valainis. I live in Missoula, MT where I serve as the Climate Action program coordinator for Missoula County. With respect to the bill sponsor, we rise in opposition to this bill. In the 1960s and 1970s the National Electrical Code began phasing out their optional guidance for three-prong grounded outlet receptacles because they made it a requirement. Appliances that were more rarely used in the home were becoming more common. The NEC doesn’t require those appliances to be installed, but they ensured the homes were ready for those newer technologies. This was a natural evolution of markets and technologies, and codes and regulations were being updated accordingly. Allowing buildings to be built with solar, batteries, and EVs in mind are simply practical for today’s day and age. Instead, this bill will end up being harmful to consumers. When included during construction, the minor additions that buildings need in order to integrate solar, batteries, or electric vehicle charging equipment in the future can be completed at a fraction of the cost compared to making those alterations after construction is completed. As an example, technical research and industry stakeholder input suggests that the cost of the minor design alterations and additional materials for solar-ready design are $200 to $1000. Compared to the cost of a home this is effectively a rounding error. (On a $300,000 home that's 0.33%). If these additional materials and alterations are required later, they could cost significantly more, particularly on the cost of labor to go in and add these changes after the home has already been built. Prohibiting this efficient approach to enabling these technologies will unnecessarily cost homeowners and building owners more money in the long-term. This bill is also out of step with the Governor’s goals of lowering costs to consumers and adopting innovative technologies that support local industries. Montana households and businesses across the state are increasingly installing solar panels, battery storage, and electric vehicle technologies which demonstrates that these are in-demand services. The services are being provided by local professionals working in these industries. This bill undermines those interests by adding unnecessary cost and complexity for Montanans. Lastly, this bill is out of step with expert advice. The Montana Building Codes Bureau recently adopted the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). The updated building code and associated appendices were adopted after being thoroughly vetted via extensive public process and expert review. The Bureau intentionally gave local governments the ability to adopt these optional appendices at their own discretion. We ask you to preserve our ability to make that locally-focused decision at the local level.
For these reasons we ask for a do-not pass. Thank you, and I would be happy to stand for questions.
Sent 2/7:
ReplyDeleteRepresentatives,
Missoula County opposes HB 241: Prohibit government from requiring buildings be constructed with solar panels, up for second reading on the House floor this afternoon. This is an anti-solar bill that precludes the experts at the Montana Building Code Bureau from adopting the solar-related building codes available in the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and prevents local governments from implementing those codes and any similar requirements. This directly targets solar-integrated and solar-ready construction, including restrictions on battery storage and electric vehicle charging equipment. Solar-integrated design means a solar system is included during the construction effort. Solar-ready design does not require solar during construction but requires thoughtfully placed wiring and conduit in the building to facilitate easier solar installation down the road.
This bill is out of step with expert advice. The Montana Building Codes Bureau recently adopted the 2021 IECC, and the updated building code and associated appendices were adopted after being thoroughly vetted via extensive public process and expert review. The Bureau intentionally gave local governments the option to adopt solar related appendices at their own discretion.
This bill is also anti-consumer. When included during construction, the minor additions that buildings need in order to integrate solar, batteries or electric vehicle charging equipment in the future can be completed at a fraction of the cost compared to making those alterations after construction is completed. As an example, technical research and industry stakeholder input suggests that the complexity and cost implications for solar-ready design are minimal (approx. $200 to $1000), especially when compared to the total cost of a home (0.33% of a $300,000 home). Prohibiting this efficient approach to enabling these technologies will unnecessarily cost homeowners and building owners more money. This bill is also out of step with the Governor’s goals of lowering costs to consumers and adopting innovative technologies that support local industries. Montana households and businesses across the state are installing solar, battery storage and electric vehicle technologies which demonstrates that these are in-demand services. This bill undermines those interests by adding unnecessary cost and complexity for Montanans.
Please oppose HB 241.
Senator Boldman,
ReplyDeleteMissoula County supports the proposed amendment made available on Wednesday, March 22, to HB 241: Prohibit government from requiring buildings be constructed with solar panels, which was up for hearing on Monday, March 20, in the Senate Local Government Committee. This amendment would vastly improve this bill, because it removes all references to local government adoption, so it maintains a preemption on the state-level action, but not local. This amendment would also narrow the scope of the bill, so it only prohibits solar panels and EV charging stations as opposed to EV wiring and conduits, solar-ready wiring, power supply, etc.
Missoula County’s original concerns with the bill were related to local control and being able to support solar-ready designs.
Please support the amendment to HB 241.
Representatives,
ReplyDeleteMissoula County opposes, as amended, HB 241: Prohibit government from requiring buildings be constructed with solar panels, up for second reading on the House floor this afternoon. This is an anti-solar bill that precludes the experts at the Montana Building Code Bureau from adopting the solar-related building codes available in the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and prevents local governments from implementing those codes and any similar requirements. This directly targets solar-integrated and solar-ready construction, including restrictions on battery storage and electric vehicle charging equipment. Solar-integrated design means a solar system is included during the construction effort. Solar-ready design does not require solar during construction but requires thoughtfully placed wiring and conduit in the building to facilitate easier solar installation down the road.
This bill is out of step with expert advice. The Montana Building Codes Bureau recently adopted the 2021 IECC, and the updated building code and associated appendices were adopted after being thoroughly vetted via extensive public process and expert review. The Bureau intentionally gave local governments the option to adopt solar related appendices at their own discretion.
This bill is also anti-consumer. When included during construction, the minor additions that buildings need in order to integrate solar, batteries or electric vehicle charging equipment in the future can be completed at a fraction of the cost compared to making those alterations after construction is completed. As an example, technical research and industry stakeholder input suggests that the complexity and cost implications for solar-ready design are minimal (approx. $200 to $1000), especially when compared to the total cost of a home (0.33% of a $300,000 home). Prohibiting this efficient approach to enabling these technologies will unnecessarily cost homeowners and building owners more money. This bill is also out of step with the Governor’s goals of lowering costs to consumers and adopting innovative technologies that support local industries. Montana households and businesses across the state are installing solar, battery storage and electric vehicle technologies which demonstrates that these are in-demand services. This bill undermines those interests by adding unnecessary cost and complexity for Montanans.
Please oppose HB 241.
In Person Testimony on 3/20 by Caroline Bean:
ReplyDeleteGood afternoon Mr. Chair and Members of the Committee,
My name is Caroline Bean (B-E-A-N) and I live in Missoula, MT where I serve as the Climate Action Program Manager for Missoula County. We stand in opposition to this bill.
The bill sponsor has stated the intent of HB241 is to avoid putting undue costs on homeowners and building owners. Missoula County could not agree more with this intent, though this bill does not fully accomplish that. Requiring the installation of solar panels, battery storage, or electric vehicle charging equipment may not be the best fit for all Montanans. However, ensuring that homes are ready for these technologies can save folks money if they should decide it’s the right choice for them. We have heard arguments that this bill still leaves the decision up to the homeowner during the design process. However, most people, especially those interested in purchasing starter homes, aren’t involved in the actual construction of their new home. In fact, the U.S. Census Bureau found that only 20% of homes were custom built by the owner. Instead, the vast majority of people are buying a home where someone else made those design decisions. Having standards and codes that help enable these decisions later on is an important role for local jurisdictions to play.
As a previous opponent said, the cost of a home is more than just its purchase price – it is the ongoing cost of a home, too, like monthly utility bills. Montanans who are most impacted by the increasing cost of housing also stand to gain the most from the savings generated by installing solar or driving an EV. The upfront costs for these technologies increase substantially when a building isn’t solar- or EV-ready, and for some, these additional upfront costs can be the deciding factor on whether or not they’re able to access these economic benefits at all. Fortunately, we can preserve the option to utilize these technologies with just a few hundred dollars. Technical research and industry stakeholder input suggests that the cost of additional materials for solar-ready design are $200 - $1000, which is effectively a rounding error on a $420,000 home (which is about the average across the state right now, according to Zillow). Not only do these provisions save money, they also save homeowners time and complication.
While solar and EVs might still feel futuristic, I want to draw your attention to a parallel example with a technology that also felt futuristic many years ago: the Internet. Two years ago, I rented a home in downtown Missoula that had never installed Internet. There was no internet jack or wiring, and I had to make special arrangements with my Internet provider to have this installed. Had the building already had the wiring and equipment in place, I could have picked up an Internet modem at my own convenience and installed it myself. Instead, I had to pay for a representative to come to my house and install new wiring and a new port. I even had to take the day off to accommodate their work schedule. It was incredibly frustrating and costly on all fronts! Solar and EVs are becoming more ubiquitous, and soon we may think about them like we think about the Internet today. This bill, unfortunately, sets us up for many homeowners to find themselves in a situation like the one I found myself in with the Internet.
Lastly, whether or not a local government has these requirements should be a question put to its citizens. Any of the requirements identified in this bill would go through a public participation process, where County residents could help us weigh the pros and cons. Removing the decision from the local level would tie local government’s hands to adequately respond to constituent requests. We ask that you preserve our ability to make this local decision at the local level.
For these reasons, as well as for the overall goal of improving housing affordability, we ask for a do-not pass. Thank you, and I am happy to stand for questions.
Testimony by Andrew Valainis:
ReplyDeleteGood afternoon Chair Brewster and members of the Committee,
My name is Andrew Valainis. I live in Missoula, MT where I serve as the Climate Action program coordinator for Missoula County. With respect to the bill sponsor, we rise in opposition to this bill.
In the 1960s and 1970s the National Electrical Code began phasing out their optional guidance for three-prong grounded outlet receptacles because they made it a requirement. Appliances that were more rarely used in the home were becoming more common. The NEC doesn’t require those appliances to be installed, but they ensured the homes were ready for those newer technologies. This was a natural evolution of markets and technologies, and codes and regulations were being updated accordingly.
Allowing buildings to be built with solar, batteries, and EVs in mind are simply practical for today’s day and age. Instead, this bill will end up being harmful to consumers. When included during construction, the minor additions that buildings need in order to integrate solar, batteries, or electric vehicle charging equipment in the future can be completed at a fraction of the cost compared to making those alterations after construction is completed. As an example, technical research and industry stakeholder input suggests that the cost of the minor design alterations and additional materials for solar-ready design are $200 to $1000. Compared to the cost of a home this is effectively a rounding error. (On a $300,000 home that's 0.33%). If these additional materials and alterations are required later, they could cost significantly more, particularly on the cost of labor to go in and add these changes after the home has already been built. Prohibiting this efficient approach to enabling these technologies will unnecessarily cost homeowners and building owners more money in the long-term.
This bill is also out of step with the Governor’s goals of lowering costs to consumers and adopting innovative technologies that support local industries. Montana households and businesses across the state are increasingly installing solar panels, battery storage, and electric vehicle technologies which demonstrates that these are in-demand services. The services are being provided by local professionals working in these industries. This bill undermines those interests by adding unnecessary cost and complexity for Montanans.
Lastly, this bill is out of step with expert advice. The Montana Building Codes Bureau recently adopted the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). The updated building code and associated appendices were adopted after being thoroughly vetted via extensive public process and expert review. The Bureau intentionally gave local governments the ability to adopt these optional appendices at their own discretion. We ask you to preserve our ability to make that locally-focused decision at the local level.
For these reasons we ask for a do-not pass. Thank you, and I would be happy to stand for questions.