HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 1130 - ORD Adding Article IV Section 18-40 through 18-46
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ORDINANCE NUMBER 1130
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AN ORDINANCE ADDING ARTICLE IV, SECTIONS 18-40 THROUGH
18-46 TO THE CODE, OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF WEST UNI-
VERSITY PLACE, TEXAS, BY ADOPTING A SOLAR ENERGY CODE TO
PROVIDE MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION,
USE, LOCATION AND MAINtENANCE OF ALL DIRECT SOLAR ENERGY
SYSTEMS; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF WEST UNIVERSITY
PLACE, TEXAS:
Section I. That the Code of Ordi~ances of the City of West Univer-
sity Place, Texas is hereby amended by the addition of Article IV, Sections
18-40 through 18-46, and said Article shall hereafter read as follows:
"ARTICLE IV - SOLAR ENERGY
Section 18-40. Scope and Purpose
The purpose of this ordinance is to provide m1n1mum standards to
safeguard life, limb, health, property and public welfare by reg-
ulating and controlling the design, co~struction, use, location
and maintenance of all direct solar energy systems, and the quali-
fications of those persons, firms, partnerships, or corporations
permitted to install same in the City of West University Place.
This ordinance applies to all active and passive systems and all
systems where solar energy is converted directly into electricity.
Sect~on 18-4l. Definitions.
ACTIVE SYSTEM - A solar heating or cooling system using circulated
liquid, air or other fluid to transfer energy within a structure.
AIR HEATER - A solar collector using air rather than a liquid
as the circulated heat transfer fluid.
COLLECTOR PLATE - The component of a solar collector which trans-
fers heat from solar energy to a circulating fluid.
CONCENTRATOR - A reflective surface or refracting lens for direct-
ing insolation onto the absorber surface.
COVER PLATE - A transparent plastic, glass plate or other material
placed over the absorber plate of a solar collector to avoid heat
losses and weathering of the absorber plate.
GLAZING - The cover glass ,for a solar collector.
INSOLATION - The total amount of solar energy reaching a surface
per unit of time.
LANGLEY - Standard unit of insolation.
(I langley/min. = 221 BTU/hr/ft2).
2
1 langley = 1 cal/cm
PACKED BED STORAGE - Heat capacity storage in a bed of packed
solid material, usually rock.
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PEBBLE BED STORAGE ~ Synonymous with packed-bed storage.
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PERSON - Shall mean and include any person, corporation, part-
nership or association.
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PHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERSION ~ Use of a semi-conductor or other photo-
voltaic device which converts solar radiation directly to elec-
tricity.
RETROFIT - The addition of solar heating, cooling or hot water
heating equipment to an existing structure to aid or replace the
original non-solar system.
PASSIVE, SYSTEM - A solar heating or cooling system using self,
gravity, or convection circulating fluid to transfer energy with-
in a structure. "
SOLAR COLLECTOR ~ Any device of assembly of components which
collects solar energy and uses such energy directly to transform
it to another usable form of energy.
SOLAR CONSTANT~ The insolation on a surface in space at the Earth's
distance from the Sun, 428 BTU/hr. /ft .2(1. 94 langleys/min.).
SOLAR ENERGY - For the purpose of this ordinance"the radiant
energy of the sun in the forms of direct, diffuse or reflected
radiation.
SGLAR ENERGY SYSTEM - Any system using solar energy as defined
above.
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SOLAR MEDIUM - The material in an assembly used for storing
solar energy in its transformed state, be it thermal or elec-
trical.
SUPPLEMENTAL ENERGY -,The use of fuel or electricity to provide
additional energy whenever solar energy cannot satisfy the de-
mand.
Section 18-42., No person shall install or alter equipment for any
solar energy system unless he has obtained a permit therefor from
,the Building Officia. Use of ,energy to heat water used for swim-
ing and use of energy in connection with a building or structure
used for plants or animals shall be deemed to be a domestic or
commercial use.
No owner, lessee, or other per90n having control over property
shall permit the installation or alteration of a solar energy
system on his property unle,ss. a permit for such has been obtained
except where a permit is not required under this ordinance.
A permit to install or alter a~olar energy system shall only be
granted to:
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1) A state-licensed master plumber who has complied with
the requirements of Section 18-11of the Code of Ordi-
nances of the City of West University Place.
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A licensed electrician subject to the licensing re- ,~:'.Y' ~:"',:
quirements of Section 10-1l5 of the Code of Ordinanc~~~^ thJilU'
of the City of l-lest University Place if the system con-
verts solar energy directly into electricity.
3)
A licensed air-conditioning contractor subject, to the li-
censing requirements of Section 6-21 of the Code of Ordi-
nances of the City of West University Place.if.the solar
energy system is other than those described in (1) and
(2) above.
Provided, however, a property owner may obtain a permit to in-
stall or alter a solar energy system other than a system con-
verting solar energy directly into electricity in a building
occupied by the owner as his home, providing such work will
be done by himself and will be done in full compliance with
all applicable laws and ordinances.
The person to whom the permit is issued shall be responsible
to see that all work authorized by the permit is done in com-
pliancewith the requirements of all applicable laws and ordi-
nances .
To obtain a permit, the applicant shall file an application
therefor in writing on a form furnished for that purpose. The
applicant shall set forth:
I) Applicant's name.
2) Applicant's plumbing, electrical or air-condition-
ing contractor license number.
3) Street address or property description of the land on
which the proposed work is to be done.
4) Name of the owner of the property on which the proposed
'work is to be done.
5) Valuation of proposed work.
6) Proposed use of the system.
7) Maximum BTU or equivalent in watts to be produced by the
system.
8) Function system will fulfill, including a statement as
to the minimum energy which will be produced by such
system throughout a year.
The'applicant shall submit two (2) sets of plans and specifica-
tions with each application in accordance with the requirement
of ' Section 6-19 of the Code of'Ordinances of the City of West
University Place.
The application, plans and specifications filed by an applicant
for a permit shall be checked by the Building Official. Such
plans maybe reviewed by other departments of the City to check
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compliance with the laws and ordinances under their jurisdiction.
The Building Official shall issue a permit to the applicant if
he finds that the work described' in the application and the plans
filled tnerewith'conform to the'requireinents ,of the Code of Ordi-
nances and all other pertinent laws and ordiances, the proposed
solar energy system will function as claimed by, the applicant,
and the fees required inapplicable sections of the Code of
Ordinances have been paid.' The 'issuance of "a permit shall not
constitute any form of a warranty to any person that the solar
energy system will function as claimed by the applicant.
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Such permit shall be posted at the site where each such solar
system isto'be installed or altered prior to commencing the
work authorized by the permit and'at all times until all re-
quired inspections by City of West University Place officials
have been imide.
The burden shall be upon the applicant to submit sufficient evi-
dence to prove that the materials and methods will conform to
the requirements of the Code of Ordinances and all applicable
laws and ordinances, and that'the'solar,eriergy system will
function as claimed by the applicant.
If tests are necessary to determine whether the materials or
methods conform'to the requirements6f the Code of Ordinances
and all applicable laws and ordinances and/or that ,the solar
energy application will function as claimed by the applicant,
such tests shall be made at the expense of the applicant. The !,['J
test to be made shall be described in writing by the applicant.
Both the tests and 'the person 'performing the tests shall be I'
approved by the Building OfficiaL A test' shall be approved
by the Building Official if it is designed to accurately re-
flect whether or not the material or methods meet the requirements
of the Code of Ordinances and all applicable laws and ordinances,
and whether or not the system will function as claimed by the
applicant. The Building Official shall approve the person mak-
ing the test if the Building.Official finds such person has the
physical and technological capacity to perform the tests unless
it is shown that such person has" submitted inaccurate test results
of a serious nature to any City official or City Board in the
past. The burden shall be on the applicant to show that the
test is accurate and the person conducting the test is qualified.
All material and methods individually approved by the Building
Official shall bear the manufacturer's label or otherwise be
clearly identified when used within the City of West University
Place so that they can easily and readily be identified by the
City's inspectors.
Section 18-43. If the Building'Official derties'a permit for
a solar energy application, 'the 'applicant may appeal the de:-
cision of the Building Official to the appropriate City Board
(hereafter referred to as Board) as set out below:
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For appeals regarding
pool heating systems,
Review Board. -
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domestic water heating and 'swimmitit_~; \;,; ,;:~,?~
appeal may be made to the Plumbing' .-,. ':' .
For appeals regarding system converting solar energy
directly into electricity, appeal may be made to the
Electrical'Board. '
The burden shall be on the petitioner-to' show that the decision
of the Building Official shaould be modified or reversed.
The Board shall have the power to affirm, modify or reverse
any decision of the ,B~ilding Official. The Board shall make its
determination, whether to affirm; modify or reverse the decision
of the Building Official on the basis of whether or not the de-
cision of the Building Official complies with the standards set
out in this ordinance. All Board decisions shall be in writing,
a copy of which shall be forwarded by United States mail to the
appealing party.
If the Board f,inds that it si impractical to conduct adequate
tests prior to installation of the solar energy system, the Board
shall give tentative approval and permission to make the installa-
tion or use of a material or method if sufficient evidence is
submitted to show that such installation or use will not create
conditions dangerous- to human life.
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However, no tentative approval shall be granted if the Board
finds that the materials and/or methods will not, in fact,
meet the requirements of the Code of Ordinances or other
applicable laws and ordinances or will not function as claimed
by the ,applicant.
When the Board grants tentative approval and permission to make
the installation or use of the material or method pending results
of test to be made to determine whether or not the material or
method meets the requirements of the Code of Ordinances and all
applicable laws and ordinances, and functions as claimed by the
applicant, such approval shall'be evidenced by a permit which
shall generally describe the method or.material for which tenta-
tive approval has been given; the location of the proposed
installation, the name of the agency which will conduct the tests
required, and shall specify the date on or before which the re-
, suIts of such tests shall be submitted to the Board. A copy of
the,permit shall be conspicuously posted at the location of the
installation.
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In the event the tests fail to prove that the item meets the re-
quirements of this ordinance, all applicable laws and ordinances,
and that the, system, will function as claimed by the applicant, the
applicant who-was ,granted tentative-approval shall be so notified
in writing by the, Board and, the permit 'authorizing installation
shall be revoked unless the system is made to comply with the re- ,
quirements of this ordinance, all applicable laws and ordinances
~d is made to function as claimed.
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GENERAL REQUIREMENTS'
(a) All plumbing,electtical, heating, air condition-
ing and refrigeration work performed in connection
with the installation or alteration of a solar energy
'system must 'be done by' pe'rsons authorize'd to do such
work under, the provisions ,of -the' Co'de of'Ordinances
regulating the respective work, and all such work
must 'be in 'compliance with all appTicable'provisions
'of the Building Code.
(b) ,All 'provisions of this Building Code requ1r1ng per-
... -mits, inspections and approval of phlIilbing,electrical,
heating ,-air conditioning,' refrigeration ,and any other
, sp'ecific work are fullyl applicable 'when such work is
done in cotinectionwith the installation or alteration
of a solar energy system.
Section 18-44. Relief Valve Requirements and Method of Rating.
(a)'
:Anyportioh of: a solar' energy system, containing a
solar energy collector ~',:ari.d using fluid other than
air, shall have a relief valve to protect that protion
that can be isolated by valves or is otherwise'subject
to constraint, of:,the liquid. The relief valve:;shall be
set at or below the safe working pressure,of the collec-
tor.
(b)
The maximum rating for solar collectors shall be 442
BTU/hr: 1ft. 2_ (2 langleys/miti.) based on gross face area
of,the collector.- . This: rating is only for the purpose
of computing the proper rating for pressure relief
valves for collectors.
Section 18-45. Heating Systems for Fluids.
(a) 'Water:'
I). Potable water shall 'be protected against cross
-connections as per Section 18-11 of the Code of
Ordinances. 'All other water systems may be direct-
ly connected to collector plates or other heat
sources .,'
2) Collectors are to be built for m1n1mum of 125 psi
safe working presure and 1600 F if-they are
directly connected to the City water main.
3) A hydrostatic test pressure' of one and one-half
times the safe working pressure shall be re-
~quiredfor' collec~ors'thata:re to be-directly
connected to the' Gity water main. All collectors
using a liquid shall be so tested.
(b) Solutions and Fluids Other Than Water:
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Potable watex heating systems utilizing s?lution~".. ?7).i ,'ft,q"
or fluids other than water as heat produc1ng med1a~ t ".J' V "",,\\&
shall be protected from cross connections by the
use of an approved device. 'The potable water sys-
tem shall be protected in accordance with Section
l8~11 of the Code ofO~dinances in the potable
makeup line. In the alternative, two heat exchange
devicesmay,be connected with an intermediate cir-
culating loop containing potable quality water.
(c)
Air to Air Systems:
1) Solar systems utilizing a heat source con-
taining noxious, fumes and serving anoccu-
pied area shall employ a heat exchanger con-
structed of suitable, approved non-corrodible
material. Such systems, shall maintain an
absolute pressure in the secondard side higher
than in the primary, side.
2) ,In all- other systems', the: air may circulate
directly from the heat spurce to the area
being supplied with energy.
3) ,Packedhed storage-arljangements shall'-be
- welL drained ~ -
Section 18-46. Interpretation of Ordinance Number 1130.
1) The Plumbing Review Board shall have'the authority to
interpret _this ordinance insofar ,as it relates to'
systems using solar energy for the heating of water.
2) The Electrical Board~Shall have the authority to interpret
this ordinance insofar,as it relates to systems conyerting
solar energy directly into electricity."
Section 2. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force
immediately from and_~fter_its passage and approval.
PASSEDANDr APPROVED"this 22nd day of January, 1979.
Commissioners Voting Aye: All
Commissioners Voting No: None
~d A::-
Mayor
ATTEST:
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City Secretary
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