HB2181

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2181
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that lighting accounts for twenty to twenty-five per cent of all electricity consumed in the United States and that an average American household dedicates five to ten per cent of its energy budget and an average American commercial establishment dedicates twenty to thirty per cent of its energy budget to lighting costs.

The legislature also finds that compact fluorescent bulbs, or CFL's, have emerged as a potential replacement for incandescent bulbs. Although such bulbs are higher in price, the CFL's last as much as 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, or 10,000 hours. CFL's also consume less electricity on a daily basis, as well as over the lifetime of the respective bulbs. With the reduced lifetime energy consumption and longer operating life, cost savings due to unused energy costs and lower replacement costs actually make CFL's a cheaper alternative to incandescents over its lifetime.

Another alternative to the incandescent bulb is the light-emitting diode, or LED. LED's are small semi-conducters encased in a glass dome. Used in electronics for decades, established lighting companies are beginning to use LED's as energy efficient alternatives to incandescents. Like the CFL, the LED uses less energy than an incandescent and lasts longer. LED's use even less energy than CFL's, and last up to 5 times longer than CFL's, or up to 50,000 hours. LED's are also more expensive than CFL's.

The legislature further finds that in either case, both CFL's and LED's are a more energy and cost efficient alternative to lighting than incandescent bulbs, and represent an easy and relatively expedient means of reducing oil dependency and consumption. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to phase out the use of incandescent bulbs in state facilities in favor of either of these alternatives.

SECTION 2. All buildings owned by the State shall commence replacement, where practicable, of incandescent bulbs with Energy Star labeled light bulbs as defined by the Energy Star program of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

SECTION 3. Prior to the implementation of section 2 of this Act, any building to which section 2 applies may deplete the supply of non-Energy Star light bulbs it possesses on the effective date of this Act. All buildings to which this Act applies shall also ensure the proper disposal of used light bulbs at a certified hazardous waste recycling facility.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________