solar building code

• Basel-Country: At Least 50 % Solar Share in Domestic Hot Water in New Buildings-

  More and more Swiss cantons approve mandatory laws or requirements for a solar share in the domestic hot water supply of residential, public or commercial buildings. These solar water heating systems were built on a voluntary basis.

• Swiss Cantons leading Energy Policy Efforts- Switzerland is finally taking on a broader approach to climate protection. The majority of the 26 cantons have adopted a regulation placing the maximum share of non-renewable energies in new heating systems at 80 %. This decision can be traced back to an initiative of the Conference of Cantonal Energy Directors some years ago.
  
• Difficult Task: Implementing Solar Building Codes in Italy -

  Orientation in the solar obligation jungle in Italy: The website of the EU-Project ProSTO gives advice and support to municipalities in Italy and other European countries to successfully implement solar building codes.

• Study on Solar Thermal Municipalities in Italy-

  The Italian “Renewable Municipalities Report 2009” is very likely the most comprehensive European study about renewable activities on a municipality level. It lists 2,996 Italian municipalities that are currently using solar thermal technology.
  Figure: Legambiente

• Victoria: Every Second New Building Heats Its Water with the Sun-

  Solar water heaters and rainwater tanks become common place in Victoria´s homes nowadays. The reason for this development is a building code named 5 Star, which was implemented in the Australian state in 2005. The regulation affects all new houses and single storey units designed after the 1^st July of that year.

• Solar Obligation by the Municipality in São Paulo-

  The huge city of São Paulo, with its approx. 19 million inhabitants, approved the first solar obligation on a municipality level in July 2007. Solar water heaters have since become mandatory in a wide range of new residential and non-residential buildings.