Bill Text: HI SB2551 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Net Zero Energy Buildings; Permits

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2010-03-03 - (H) Referred to EEP, FIN, referral sheet 35 [SB2551 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-SB2551-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2494

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2551

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Energy and Environment and Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2551 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NET ZERO ENERGY BUILDING PERMITTING,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require priority state and county permitting for buildings that consume zero net energy and have no carbon emissions.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by three organizations.  Testimony in opposition was submitted by one state agency.  Written testimony presented to the Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     A net zero energy home is one that generates as much energy as it uses.  Several homes in Hawaii have already achieved this goal, and additional projects are being planned.  One home in Kalihi Valley eliminated their energy bill by making energy efficiency improvements and installing a photovoltaic energy system.  Your Committees find that this measure can provide an incentive at no cost to the State to encourage the building of energy efficient and renewable energy capable homes.  This measure will help the State meet the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative's goal of seventy per cent clean, renewable energy by 2030.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Replacing the definition of "net zero energy building" with the definition in H.B. No. 2451, H.D. 1, which defines it as a building that is thirty-five per cent more energy efficient than required under the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code;

 

     (2)  Including a provision requiring the State Building Code Council to adopt rules to implement a prescriptive design alternative for net zero energy buildings by January 1, 2012;

 

     (3)  Mandating that agencies provide priority handling and processing for a permit application for a net zero energy building project that is accompanied by a certificate from an architect or a mechanical engineer, licensed in the State, which verifies that the project meets the necessary standards; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy and Environment and Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2551, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2551, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy and Environment and Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs,

 

____________________________ J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair		____________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair