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this post was submitted on 04 Nov 2023
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Futurology
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Anyone here flown into your own city on a plane? (It's more relatable when you know where you are and what you're looking at.) The acreage of commercial rooftops is stunning.
I'm not about to pretend I know the engineering involved in retrofitting rooftop solar, but it seems a no brainer. Even better for new construction, everything is easier.
And if so many homes around here are going solar, I would guess it's even more sensible for commercial buildings. (Caveat: Going to be more regulations, more expenses, for commercial approvals.)
I think part of the problem with large rooftop on commercial buildings is they aren't rated for the extra weight. So you could probably put some ontop of the mall, but not completely cover it
I don't think those solar panels actually weigh that much, especially when it's spread out over the entire roof... Like less than a pound a square foot extra? I'm no roof weight doctor tho.
I remember reading about it before. It was talking about warehouse roofs that were pretty thin, designed specifically for its current purpose, and fully covering it with solar was too much.
That won't be everywhere, but at least some places.
Got it, yeah. That makes sense. I'm sure some are super thin.