ISSUE: DS 2013-065. Mr. Allen Gezelman, PE, Petitioner, seeks a Declaratory Statement concerning whether windload provisions of the code apply to solar systems.

Petitioner in DS 2013-065 seeks clarification on the requirements of the Florida Building Code, Mechanical, as follows:

Does the Florida Building Commission agree that FSEC-approved & labeled solar panels mounted above a continuous, code-compliant roof covering with an air gap in between shall be exempt from additional AHJ requirements which might flow from Florida Building Code Sections Residential M1307.2.1 and Mechanical 301.12?

Mr. Allen Gezelman is an engineer who specializes in the design of photo-voltaic (PV) and solar thermal installations (ST) for single family dwellings and small commercial buildings. Florida Statutes 377.705 requires solar systems sold in Florida to have been tested and bear a unique certification label issued by the Florida Solar Energy Center. Petitioner seeks relief from additional requirements or scrutiny by other than plan reviewers making sure the equipment is FSEC approved and that the construction documents provide adequate connection of the solar equipment to the particular building.

Background:

1. Section M1307.2.1 of the 2010 Florida Building Code, Residential, and Section 301.12 of the Florida Building Code, Mechanical, state, in part: “Mechanical equipment, appliances and supports that are exposed to wind shall be designed and installed to resist the wind pressures on the equipment and the supports as determined in accordance with the Florida Building Code, Building.”

2. No specific job or case with facts and circumstances has been provided on which to base a declaratory statement response.

3. Various mounting systems for solar systems have been approved by the Florida Product Approval system.

4. The Florida Solar Energy Center certification regarding solar systems does not consider the wind load capabilities of the solar systems they test.

5. Chapter 23 of the FBC-Residential code and Chapter 14 of the FBC-Mechanical code contain additional requirements for solar systems concerning their installation, pressures, heat transfer fluids and materials.

6. Section 403.4.3.2.3 of the FBC-Energy Conservation has requirements regarding the tilt angle and orientation of solar systems above the requirement to test solar collectors in accordance with ISO Standard 9806 and SRRC Standard TM-1.

Recommendations: Staff provides the following suggested responses to petitioner’s questions:

To the question, Does the Florida Building Commission agree that FSEC-approved & labeled solar panels mounted above a continuous, code-compliant roof covering with an air gap in between shall be exempt from additional AHJ requirements which might flow from Florida Building Code Sections Residential M1307.2.1 and Mechanical 301.12?, the answer is that there is insufficient information on which to base a response. DS 2013-065 should be dismissed from lack of information on which to base a decision.