1. a. Any newly constructed warehouse for which an application for a construction permit has not been declared complete by the enforcing agency before July 1, 2022, shall be a solar-ready building.

b. The Department of Community Affairs shall adopt, pursuant to section 5 of the “State Uniform Construction Code Act,” P.L.1975, c.217 (C. 52:27D-123) and the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C. 52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations establishing standards for the design and construction of solar-ready buildings. The rules and regulations shall incorporate the provisions of the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code, Appendix CA, and any successor model code, concerning solar-ready zones.

c. For the purposes of this section:

“Solar-ready building” means a building that includes a solar-ready zone.

“Solar-ready zone” means a section of a roof or building overhang designated and reserved for the future installation of a solar photovoltaic or solar thermal system, which is at less 40 percent of the roof area calculated as the horizontally projected areas minus the area covered by skylights, occupied roof decks, vegetative roof areas, and mandatory access or set back areas required by the State Uniform Construction Code, or as otherwise provided in the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code, Appendix CA, and any successor model code, concerning solar-ready zones.

“Warehouse” means any building, room, structure, or facility of at least 100,000 square feet used primarily for the storage of goods intended for sale.

L.2021, c.290.