Castillo Engineering Services, a Florida solar and energy storage engineering firm, announced the launch of Solar Done Right, a movement to advance the quality and safety of solar designs and installations by having every set of solar plans reviewed by using the Solar Done Right Best Practices Checklists.
Solar Done Right uses three distinct best practices checklists and continuing education courses that simplify and decipher the complexity and sheer volume of the recent changes to the Florida Building Code, National Electric Code, American Society of Civil Engineers Wind Loads and Florida Fire Prevention Code. The checklists are easy-to-use tools aimed at assisting plans examiners, permitting officials and installers to interpret and verify the structural, electrical and fire safety and quality of residential solar equipment installation plans.
“Checklists are a key element of high-reliability and high-performance engineering,” said Christopher Castillo, CEO of Castillo Engineering. “The Solar Done Right Checklist will help keep everyone involved with solar installations current with the best practices for structural, electrical, and fire safety and quality as well as reduce review time and rejections of permits that delay projects and increase costs.”
Florida is a Top 5 state in solar energy for capacity installed and is growing rapidly with record numbers of new permits applied for in 2020. The 2021 updates to Florida Statues and Codes specifically address key elements of solar installation designs such as requirements for site-specific engineering plans, the review of all plans by a professional engineer and verification of wind loads, calculations, attachment methods and many other critical engineering changes aimed at improving quality and safety. The three Solar Done Right checklists support the skills of expert professionals by simplifying the intricacy of the new codes and providing clear interpretation so proper actions can be taken.
In addition to the checklists, Rick Castillo, PE, SE, MSEE, President and Principal of Castillo Engineering is providing a series of Continuing Education Courses hosted by the Building Officials Association of Florida. The courses specifically address solar best practices and respond to the rapid and unexpected changes in the solar market. Rick commented, “These courses are a way to partner with influential Building Departments, Officials, Plans Examiners, Inspectors, and Professional Associations to foster the development, implementation, and adherence to solar industry best practices that advance the quality and safety of solar design and installations.”
To download the Solar Done Right checklists, register for one of the BOAF Solar Done Right Webinars or schedule a live Solar Done Right course for your team go to SolarDoneRight.info, call (407)-289-2575 or email [email protected].
News item from Castillo Engineering
Excellent Chris and team! We appreciate your partnership and efforts to streamline and increase stately, quality and profit!
“Solar Done Right uses three distinct best practices checklists and continuing education courses that simplify and decipher the complexity and sheer volume of the recent changes to the Florida Building Code, National Electric Code, American Society of Civil Engineers Wind Loads and Florida Fire Prevention Code. The checklists are easy-to-use tools aimed at assisting plans examiners, permitting officials and installers to interpret and verify the structural, electrical and fire safety and quality of residential solar equipment installation plans.”
This is sorely needed across the U.S., a best practices data base and check lists for all involved in solar installations. Soft costs are eating up peoples budgets getting solar PV installed. It would be (nice) to be able to install 4 to 6 more panels on one’s roof in savings on soft costs that are not uniform across the U.S.. It’s time for (turbo tax) for solar PV installations.