Renewable energy is an important part of the path to zero energy homes. The DOE Zero Energy Ready Home PV-Ready Checklist (Revision 07) and DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Solar Hot Water-Ready Checklist below provide links to guides that provide installation instructions for each measure included in the checklists. The PV-Ready Checklist is mandatory for qualifying homes in climates with significant solar insolation; this checklist references the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Renewable Energy Ready Home Solar Photovoltaic Specification Guide. The solar-hot water checklist is no longer mandatory, but builders are encouraged to meet it.
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Solar Photovoltaic Checklist
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- Provide code-compliant documentation of the maximum allowable dead load and live load ratings of the existing roof
- Provide architectural drawing and riser diagram of RERH solar PV system components and solar hot water components
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- Install a 1" metal conduit for the DC wire run from the designated array location to the designated inverter location (cap and label both ends)
- Install a 1" metal conduit from designated inverter location to electrical service panel (cap and label both ends)
- Install and label a 4' x 4' plywood panel area for mounting an inverter and balance of system components
- Install and label a 70-amp dual pole circuit breaker in the electrical service panel for use by the PV system (label the service panel)
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Solar Water Heating Checklist
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- Provide code-compliant documentation of the maximum allowable dead load and live load ratings of the existing roof
- Provide architectural drawing and riser diagram of RERH solar PV system components
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- Install a single 4” chase or two 2” chases from utility room to the attic space below designated array location (cap and label both ends)
- Provide code-compliant documentation of the maximum allowable floor load rating for storage tanks installed on non-concrete floors
- Install and label a 3' x 2' plywood panel area adjacent to the solar hot water tank for the balance of system components/pumping package
- Install and label a 3' x 3' x 7' area in the utility room adjacent to the existing water heater for solar hot water tank