City of Dallas Proposing Solar and EV Charging Station Ready Requirements in New Building Codes
The City of Dallas is in the process of drafting their adoption of the 2021 International Code Council building codes, including the Residential Code (IRC), Building Code (IBC) and Energy Conservation Code (IECC) with local amendments.
Included in the recent draft that has moved through the city’s Building Inspections Advisor, Examining and Appeals Board are provisions that call for EV Ready and Future Solar Electric panel space.
The EV Ready Space provision mandates that One- and two-family dwellings and townhouses have a designated parking space that is to be provided with a higher volt dedicated branch circuit for the use of electric vehicle charging stations. There are requirements related to multifamily as well.
This provision is not a requirement in the 2021 I-codes, rather it is an option listed in the appendix. In 2021, the Regional Codes Coordinating Committee (RCCC) voted down an attempt to make it a recommended amendment in the NCTCOG regional amendments.
Also added via amendment are Solar Ready provisions that require electrical panel space to be reserved for the installation of a dual pole circuit breaker for future solar use. This was also not a requirement in the 2021 I-codes and only an option in the appendix. An attempt to make it a recommended requirement in the regional amendments was voted down at the RCCC.
During this process, Dallas BA has submitted a rebuttal that recommends that these items would more appropriately be addressed via an option accompanied by an incentive, to better meet the city’s goals, as opposed to a mandate that will be paid for by homeowners who for a product most of them will never use.