In 2012 the Energy (Solar Water Heating) regulation was signed into law compelling all landlords and property owners to install solar water heaters on commercial and residential buildings whose occupants use more than 100 liters of hot water a day.
The deadline for compliance elapsed on November 25, 2017, the law requires new buildings, alterations or extensions to be fitted with solar water heating systems before use.
The solar water heating rules are aimed at residential houses with at least three bedrooms, boarding schools and colleges with 20 or more students and hotels, hostels and lodges with at least four beds.
Restaurants that serve at least 20 meals a day and laundries that handle more than 20 kilograms of clothes are also required to use solar water heaters.
The commission has been carrying out surveillance visits on buildings under construction and random spot checks on existing premises. In addition to the installation of solar water heaters, the directive requires landlords to conduct energy audits every three years and they must implement at least half of the audit recommendations within three years.
Failure to comply with the regulation would have the property owners liable to a fine of Sh1 million or a jail term of one year.
Property owners have often cited high costs of the systems as a hindrance to increased uptake. This reason was valid in the past, In 2018 the cost of purchasing a solar water heater has drastically reduced.
Below are some of the products available at the market at incredibly affordable prices.
There are different types of Solar Water Heaters by capacity and by type. There are the Non- Pressurized and the Pressurized water heaters and they range from as low a 100-liter capacity up to 300-liter capacity.
Kenia Jalaram Co. Ltd is one of the trusted brands that suppliers, installs, services these heaters at affordable costs.
