STAND. COM. REP. NO. 307

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 556

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 556, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the State Building Code Council to include one member experienced and knowledgeable in building energy efficiency standards and one member experienced and knowledgeable in sustainable building design, construction, and operation;

(2) Direct the counties to amend or adopt their respective building codes and standards based upon the International Energy Conservation Code no later than one year after the adoption of the Hawaii State Building Energy Conservation Code; and

(3) Specify that if the counties fail to amend or adopt the Hawaii State Building Energy Conservation Code within one year, the code will be considered the interim county building code.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Ulupono Initiative and Blue Planet Foundation. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office.

Your Committee finds that requiring the counties to adopt their building codes and standards in a timely manner following the State's adoption of these codes is essential to ensure the State and county building energy conservation codes align with the national code. Your Committee further finds that expanding the qualifications of the State Building Code Council to include members with experience and knowledge in building energy efficiency standards and sustainable building design, construction, and operation will serve the Council in fulfilling its duties.

Your Committee notes the concerns raised in testimony before your Committee regarding the feasibility of the counties to adopt the codes within a year. Your Committee notes that it may be a challenge for the county building departments to meet the one-year requirement, as the county building departments must amend the code in accordance with their unique circumstances; gain administration support; introduce legislation; serve as subject matter experts at public hearings; and testify before county council and committees until adoption of the code is achieved.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the one-year and making unspecified the time frame in which the counties must amend or adopt the Hawaii State Building Energy Conservation Code and the Hawaii State Building Codes based upon the International Energy Conservation Code; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 556, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 556, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair