So who's *really* driving the solar industry *in your own city*. Well we've put together this tool for you to inform yourself: Who is providing industry-driving solar panel leases in your home area. (You can give it a shot, and when you're done you can hit your browser's 'Back' button to come on back to us to learn more about the solar industry from us here at Residential Solar 101).
Did you know that installing solar panels on your house or over your parking lot can help earn points towards a LEED certification?
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is a third-party certification program develop to encourge the adoption of sustainable green building practices.
If you're building a new house, or renovating a new one and looking to get it LEED Certified, installing solar panels can help in a several ways. First off, out of 110 possible points, you need 40 to get LEED certified. Below are examples of how adding solar panels on site can help you directly get up to 3 points, and indirectly facilitate many more*.
1. Points are awarded for using on-site renewable energy to offset a percentage of the building energy cost. Solar energy definitely qualifies. (EAc2: On-Site Renewable Energy)
2. A point can be awarded for covering 50% or more of your parking. Covered parking reduces the head coming off of the blacktop, and thus reduces the "heat island effect". Covering your parking with a Solar array achieves that goal. (SSc7.1 Heat Island Effect: Non-Roof)
3. A point can be awarded if you truly go above and beyond in the area of "Heat Island Effect", that is, reducing the "impact on micro-climates and human and wildlife habitats". if you have a huge black parking lot, it can heat up and make the surrounding natural areas hotter than they normally would be if the parking lot was left as nature. By going above and beyond in your efforts to rduce "Heat Island Effect", and Solar Panels would be part of that, you can be eligible for a point for "Exemplary Performance". (IDc1-1.4 Innovation in Design)
4. As for the indirect points, by getting a majority, say 75%, of your energy from on-site solar panels, you could get another point by buying carbon-off sets for the remaining 25% of your energy. (EAc6: Green Power)
