STAND. COM. REP. NO. 93

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 350

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 350 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to expand the types of water heater systems required for the issuance of a building permit for new single-family dwellings to include ENERGY STAR certified heat pump water heaters.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office and Hawaiʻi Energy. Your Committee received comments on this measure from The Solaray Corporation dba Inter-Island Solar Supply and the Hawaii Solar Energy Association.

Your Committee finds that ENERGY STAR certified heat pump water heaters offer an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient alternative to traditional electric water heaters. Your Committee further finds that these types of water heaters do not currently satisfy the water heater system requirements for the issuance of a building permit for new single-family dwellings. This measure addresses this issue by expanding the types of water heater systems that satisfy this requirement to ENERGY STAR certified heat pump water heaters.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

Your Committee notes and will continue to consider the amendment suggested by the Solaray Corporation to allow only ENERGY STAR certified heat pump water heaters that meet or exceed the average efficiency of solar water heaters to be added to this measure.

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. 350, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 350, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Housing.

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

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair