Regarding the nuisance caused by the reflection, Ms. Blackwell said that her hands are tied. Though city code requires that in the Escarpment District “exterior glazing be nonmirrored with a reflectance of less than 40 percent,” state law exempts solar collectors. (How much energy is being collected when so much sunlight is being cast back would make for an interesting engineering problem.)
Ms. Blackwell did offer some promising news:
You will be pleased to know that the owners are interested in doing some type of screening even though it is not required by code. Our staff will be making suggestions as to how screening can be accomplished without interfering with the solar collection. Netting or low shrubs are possible solutions.
Meanwhile we can rest assured that the largest, most extravagant residence in Santa Fe is generating green electrons.