STAND. COM. REP. NO.  246-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

RE:   H.B. No. 2451

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2451 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require priority state and county permitting for net zero energy buildings.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Hawaii Energy Policy Forum; Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter; Hawaii Renewable Energy Alliance; Hawaii Solar Energy Association; and Blue Planet Foundation.

Your Committee finds that permits for net zero energy buildings are processed in the same manner as for other buildings.  However, unlike other buildings, net zero energy buildings promote the growth of energy efficiency and renewable energy in the State.  Accordingly, your Committee finds that expediting the permitting process for net zero energy buildings would be an economical incentive for increasing the design and construction of energy-efficient buildings in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Clarifying the definition of a net zero energy building to mean a residential or commercial building that is thirty-five per cent more efficient than the requirements of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code, as published by the International Code Council; and

(2)  Requiring the State Building Code Council to adopt a prescriptive design alternative for net zero energy buildings by January 1, 2012.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2451, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2451, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

HERMINA MORITA, Chair