San Jose, Calif.-based MBL-Energy, a designer and builder of solar projects, has received what it claims to be the first California Division of State Architects (DSA) pre-check certification issued under the newly released 2016 California Building Code (CBC) compliance.
This certification will enable MBL-Energy to quickly move forward on the design and construction of solar parking canopies for California public schools and other public works by reducing the permitting approval time from up to one year down to five weeks.
MBL-Energy received this certification by being the first to pass cyclical testing and meeting the rigorous project and safety requirements set forth by DSA, the company says.
An integral component of the new and existing DSA pre-check certification is the approval of MBL-Energy’s patented, UL-certified Beacon clip, a solar module attachment. Developed by MBL-Energy’s CEO, Robert Laubach, the clip uses proprietary technology that enables a more efficient and safe installation process on solar arrays, according to the company.
“Earning the first pre-check certification in California from the DSA based on the current and new guidelines is the culmination of months of planning, hard work and coordination between MBL engineers, third-party testers and inspectors,” Laubach says. “The use of our Beacon clip was an important safety factor in securing approval of both our earlier pre-check certification and the certification under the new DSA guidelines.”
The DSA oversees construction projects on California K–14 campuses by providing plan review and approval and construction oversight of projects in response to applications from California school and community college districts. DSA updates project pre-check qualifications based on current building code applications to meet standards agreed upon by a number of internal and external partners.
To date, MBL-Energy has completed 350 MW of solar projects across California, of which 180 were DSA projects. This includes recently announced projects across six schools in the Santa Rita Union School District in Salinas.
