STAND. COM. REP. NO. 244-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 1846

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1846 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require all state facilities to undergo an energy audit by July 1, 2021, and implement efficiency measures or enter into performance contracts for efficiency measure by January 1, 2022;

(2) Beginning July 1, 2020, require the design of all new state building construction to meet certain standards;

(3) Beginning July 1, 2021, require that all state buildings be benchmarked to track energy use and performance over time and make this data publicly available through the Hawaii State Energy Office, so that the data can be used to better understand the buildings' energy use and inform future decision making; and

(4) Require certain state departments to periodically assess the equipment and systems of their public buildings and facilities to improve their efficiency.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Hawaii State Energy Office, Pono Hawaii Initiative, Climate Protectors Coalition, Ulupono Initiative, Elemental Excelerator, Blue Planet, Our Revolution Hawaii, CarbonCure Technologies, Hawaii Electric Vehicle Association and Big Island Electric Vehicle Association, Surfrider Oahu, 350Hawaii.org, and twenty individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services and Hawaii Energy.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Extending the deadline by which all state facilities must undergo an energy audit until January 1, 2022; provided that smaller facilities with an area less than 10,000 square feet are exempt;

(2) Requiring state facilities to begin implementation of efficiency measures as follows:

(A) On January 1, 2022, for state facilities that have not evaluated or implemented energy efficiency retrofitting through performance contracting since 2010; and

(B) On January 1, 2024, for all other facilities; provided that the simple payback period does not exceed the performance period of the contract;

(3) Modifying the design requirements of all new state building construction by:

(A) Instead of the net-zero capable requirement, requiring that the design maximize energy generation potential where feasible and cost- effective; and

(B) Allowing the use of other building materials that reduce the carbon footprint of the project where feasible and cost-effective, in addition to post-industrial carbon dioxide mineralized concrete;

(4) Removing the state building benchmarking requirements;

(5) Authorizing the Hawaii State Energy Office to have access to all utility bills and energy usage data for state-owned facilities;

(6) Requiring that the Hawaii State Energy Office collect the information and data monthly and maintain all current and past data in a publicly accessible format;

(7) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

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. 1846, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1846, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Labor & Public Employment.

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

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair