Aspen City Council weighs in on heat tape usage on commercial property
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
Aspen City Council said that while it would like to receive additional information regarding the use of heat tape on commercial buildings, overall, council members are leaning toward being in favor of a change to the current exemption.
Monday’s work session was a chance for staff to follow up on the council’s interest to discuss two aspects of the Renewable Energy Mitigation Program (REMP), which include heat tape and outdoor heating within dining spaces, and how each potentially impacts commercial properties.
Heat tape is a protected cable commonly attached to gutters and roofs to prevent ice dams from forming at the roof edges. One of the questions staff was seeking from City Council was whether the REMP regulations for commercial heat tape continue to require 100% offset, which was approved by the council in January of last year through Ordinance 1, allowing for an expansion to the existing REMP program.
The current exemption states the first 1,000 watts of heat tape used on a commercial building does not require renewable offsets. According to Plans Examination Manager Denis Murray, the exemption was based on what has previously been adopted by Pitkin County in 2018. Among the alternatives provided, council members expressed interest in seeing an exemption that would instead be based on the linear feet of roof edges and valleys shedding over public walkways.
REMP was established in 1999 to offset the energy use of exterior amenities including snowmelt, pools, and spas by requiring either an equivalent on-site renewable energy system or a payment option to fund community renewable projects.
As stated within the staff memo, the reasoning behind adding heat tape into REMP was primarily due to the tape’s energy usage. The example provided indicated that 6,000 watts of heat tape (1,000 linear feet X 6 watts/feet) is similar in yearly energy usage to 200 square feet of snowmelt. Staff suggested that by applying REMP to heat tape it in turn encourages using only the exact amount of tape required for any given space and less tape usage overall by inspiring better design and maintenance.
Council member Bill Guth had questions as to whether or not there were currently tried-and-tested alternatives to heat tape available. He further clarified that this was an issue concerning older buildings less than it was for newer buildings who have the benefit of being built with better codes, materials, and construction techniques.
Murray in response said that heat tape was neither the best nor only solution to resolving ice dams, adding that it can often worsen the problem if the location and roof design prevent melted snow from draining off the roof before refreezing.
He pointed to a study provided within the memo that summarized how new construction such as airtight ceilings, insulation, and under-deck ventilation with outside air can ultimately help avoid the problem most effectively. The study referred to by staff suggested an alternative option would be the construction of a second vented roof over the top of the existing roof.
Guth raised concerns of the high costs associated with building a new roof over an existing roof, further questioning whether it would be possible in Aspen when considering height limitations and other variables. Council member Ward Hauenstein added that while a linear feet exemption made the most sense, he would be interested in hearing the cost points around cold roof constructions.
In a statement, Community Development Director Ben Anderson said staff plans to return to City Council with additional information and a proposed amendment related to the amount of exempted heat tape.
After concluding the heat tape discussion, the council followed by determining no permits would be required for portable outdoor gas heaters frequently seen at many of Aspen’s restaurants located in the downtown core.
To reach Jonson Kuhn, email him at jkuhn@aspentimes.com.
