STAND. COM. REP. NO.  981-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

RE:   H.C.R. No. 230

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.C.R. No. 230 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE HAWAII CLEAN ENERGY INITIATIVE END-USE EFFICIENCY WORKING GROUP TO CONVENE DEVELOPMENT AND BUILDING INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS TO IDENTIFY BARRIERS TO IMPLEMENTATION AND WORK TOWARDS A CONSENSUS POSITION TO PROMOTE THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF NET ZERO ENERGY BUILDINGS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to protect Hawaii's environment through increased energy-efficiency by urging the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative End-Use Efficiency Working Group to bring together development and building industry stakeholders, the State Building Code Council, and applicable state and county agencies to reach a consensus on promoting the design and construction of net zero energy buildings.

     The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism offered comments on this concurrent resolution.

     The ultimate goal of a net zero energy building is to reduce the net-energy consumption of a building to zero and to generate zero carbon emissions.  Since buildings are responsible for at least 40 percent of the energy used in a country, encouraging and promoting net zero energy buildings is a highly cost-effective way to move the State of Hawaii toward a clean energy future.

     Your Committee finds that development and building industry stakeholders have not yet realized the benefits of net zero energy buildings.  Even the most progressive builders have not agreed to a standard for net zero energy building codes.  Furthermore, your Committee believes the reason for the lack of understanding and involvement is due to insufficient outreach.

     This measure serves to encourage a consensus on building standards in an effort to move forward with the adoption of net zero energy buildings.

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 230 and recommends its adoption.

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

____________________________

HERMINA MORITA, Chair