STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3028

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2166

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Education and Energy and Environment, to which was referred H.B. No. 2166, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii to finance energy conservation and renewable energy measures to make Saunders Hall at the University of Hawaii at Manoa a campus and community model of sustainability and energy conservation.

     Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by Hawaii Energy Policy Forum, the Help Us Bridge Student Sustainability Team, the Environmental Center of the University of Hawaii, and two individuals.  Testimony in support of the intent of the measure was submitted by the University of Hawaii System.

     Your Committees find that the State and all of its residents must endeavor to reduce energy consumption through the use of alternative energy sources and energy efficient means.  The University of Hawaii System has been and continues to have the opportunity to be a pioneer in this effort through the development of models for campus energy savings that can benefit the entire system and the community at large.  Currently, at the Manoa campus, the University is operating the Sustainable Saunders Project, which seeks to make the building a livable, sustainable quality home to faculty, staff, and students through campus energy savings.  A preliminary energy efficient audit was conducted on the project, which yielded several recommendations. 

     This measure appropriates funds to implement recommendations from the audit.  Your Committees determine that such funding can help to reduce or offset Saunders Hall's energy load, which will pay for itself in six to seven years, as well as reduce its current utility costs through the installation of conservation and renewable energy measures.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting an appropriation amount of $1,024,000 for energy conservation and renewable energy measures that are part of the Sustainable Saunders Project;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2008; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Energy and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2166, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2166, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Energy and Environment,

____________________________ RON MENOR, Chair

____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair