Rebuilding in Los Angeles? What to Know About Solar, Title 24, and Long-Term System Design

For many homeowners in Los Angeles, rebuilding is not only a construction project, but also an opportunity to design a home that performs better long-term.

If you’re rebuilding or constructing a new home, solar will likely be part of the project whether you initially planned for it or not. Under California’s Title 24 energy standards, most new residential construction now requires solar. However, meeting Title 24 requirements and designing a solar system that performs well for decades are not always the same thing.

Understanding the difference early in the process can make a meaningful impact on how your home performs once it’s completed.

Title 24 Solar Requirements: Minimum Compliance vs Real-World Usage

Title 24 calculations are based on modeled energy usage assumptions tied to square footage and energy efficiency standards.

In practice, many newly rebuilt homes include higher electrical demand than these models assume. For example, many rebuilds today include:

• Electric vehicle charging

• Heat pump HVAC systems

• Induction cooking

• Electric water heating

• Larger square footage than the original home

  
  

A Title 24 system might be sized to offset the modeled energy usage for the home, but it may not fully reflect how the household actually uses electricity once it is occupied.

For homeowners planning to charge EVs, electrify appliances, or increase cooling loads, evaluating solar system sizing beyond the minimum compliance requirement is often worth considering.

Utility Territory Matters, Especially Under SCE

Where your home is located also affects how solar performs. Homes within the City of Los Angeles are generally served by LADWP, while many surrounding communities are served by Southern California Edison (SCE). These utilities operate under different billing structures, which directly impact how solar energy is valued.

For homes in SCE territory under the NEM 3.0 framework, exported daytime energy is credited at lower rates than retail electricity. Because of this, systems designed primarily to export excess energy to the grid may not perform the way many homeowners expect.

Instead, system design often focuses more on minimizing grid export, typically with supplemental battery storage to shift excess daytime solar production into evening consumption. This doesn’t mean every rebuild requires a battery, but it does mean thoughtful system design becomes more important.

Design Decisions That Impact Solar Long-Term

One advantage of rebuilding is the ability to plan infrastructure correctly from the start.

Several early design decisions can influence how easily solar integrates with the home.

Roof layout and segmentation

Roof design plays a larger role than many homeowners expect. Homes with many small roof sections or architectural breaks sometimes limit how solar can be arranged later. Larger, unobstructed roof planes often allow cleaner array layouts and better long-term flexibility.

Electrical service configuration

Electrical service design can also affect solar and battery integration.

Many new homes default to larger service configurations such as 200A panels, which is the residential standard. Some homes may also be built with 400A split busbars. While that can make sense depending on load requirements, the way service equipment is arranged can influence how solar and batteries are connected later. Reviewing electrical layout early can help avoid unnecessary complexity.

Wall space for solar equipment

Solar systems require equipment such as inverters and disconnects, and battery systems require additional wall space with specific code-required clearances. On some new homes, available wall space near the main panel becomes tight once construction is finished. Planning for this space during the design phase can set you up for a cost-effective project, while also preventing equipment relocation later in the process.

Start the Solar Conversation Early

One common pattern we've seen is solar being introduced late in the process when roof layout, service placement, and equipment locations are already fixed.

Even if construction has not yet started, reviewing plans early can help ensure solar integrates cleanly with the home rather than simply meeting minimum code requirements.

The Opportunity in Rebuilding

Rebuilding is often an opportunity to improve efficiency, resilience, and long-term operating costs. Solar will likely be part of the project under Title 24, but the design approach determines whether the system simply passes inspection or performs well and generates meaningful cost savings for decades.

If you’re beginning the rebuild process and want a design-focused perspective on how solar might integrate with your plans, we’re always happy to take a look. Sometimes a short conversation early in the process can prevent bigger adjustments later.