HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2026
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to construction.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that white roofs are a low-cost, low-carbon, and low-energy solution to cool down indoor temperature, and are used throughout the world, particularly in countries with a warm climate, such as countries in Southern Europe or North Africa. Solar reflective roofs, also called white or cool roofs, are a common and viable heat mitigation strategy due to their ability to reflect incoming sunlight back to space. A roof that strongly reflects sunlight can stay much cooler than a roof that strongly absorbs sunlight; this is known as the albedo effect. Because of the color, white roofs better reflect sunlight and minimize the building's solar absorption in comparison to buildings with darker roofs, resulting in lower inside temperatures in white roofed buildings and thus limiting the use of air conditioning and the associated greenhouse gas emissions.

The legislature further finds that increasing land surface that strongly reflects light will lead to less heating of the ground and the surrounding air. In cities, roofs comprise about forty per cent of the horizontal surfaces and are a good source to reflect sunlight to reduce heat. Widespread adoption of white roofs has already been seen in many cities such as Chicago and New York and is becoming an increasingly important heat mitigation strategy under a warming climate and with continued urbanization.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to:

(1) Require all new construction built after January 1, 2025, to include roofs painted in white or with white colored material; and

(2) Require existing residential and commercial buildings that repaint their roofs at after January 1, 2025, to use white paint or white colored material.

SECTION 2. Chapter 196, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§196-    White roofs; new construction. (a) Beginning January 1, 2025, no building permit shall be issued for new construction unless the building's roof is painted in white or uses white colored material.

(b) Any residential building or commercial building that completed construction prior to January 1, 2025, but repaints its roof on or after January 1, 2025, shall comply with subsection (a).

(c) All counties shall adopt and enforce rules, ordinances, and guidelines to take all reasonable actions to implement and enforce this section through the building inspection process. The building inspector shall confirm as part of the regular inspection process, including inspection of the documentation required to be submitted by the builder, that the roof satisfies the requirements of this section.

(d) For purposes of this section, "new construction" means any new construction of a residential structure, including single-family and multi-family residential properties, and any new construction of a commercial structure, including construction for businesses of any kind."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Building Code; New Construction; Residential Buildings; Commercial Buildings; White Roofs

Description:

Beginning 1/1/2025, prohibits the issuance of building permits for new construction unless the structure's roof is painted in white or uses white colored material and requires roofs on residential and commercial buildings constructed before 1/1/2025, if repainting, to repaint the roof in white or use white colored materials.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.