Home

Code Status: Hawaii

This page contains information about current energy codes in the state of Hawaii. Information for all 50 States is also available. Hawaii Code News.

Current State Codes

  • Residential Code: The Hawaii Model Energy Code exceeds 1995 MEC, voluntary statewide and mandatory in the counties of Honolulu and Maui.
  • Commercial Code: ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1-1989 with modifications, mandatory in Hawaii County. Honolulu, Kauai and Maui Counties have adopted ASHRAE 90.1-1999.
  • Code Change Cycle: No set schedule. Most recent update: April 25, 2005
  • Jurisdictions: (Information last updated June 1, 2009. See ICC Online for up-to-date jurisdictional adoption information).
top

Code Adoption & Change Process

Process Type: Legislative

Code Change Process: No schedule exists for making statewide changes to the Hawaii Model Energy Code. Each county reviews its code periodically. If changes are deemed necessary on a statewide basis, the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism submits proposed legislation to the state legislature. Following final passage, any new criteria becomes effective after an appropriate lead-in time.

State Code History: The first Hawaii energy code was based on ASHRAE/IES Standard 90-1975. It was mandated by state legislation in 1978 and adopted by three of the four counties in the state in 1978 and 1979. Although the law was mandated, there was no penalty provision. The HMEC was formalized in 1993, and is based on ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1-1989 with modifications to accommodate Hawaii's climate. Changes include the deletion of all space-heating requirements and changes in the building envelope and water-heating requirements. In 1994 the legislature enacted Act 168 requiring counties to adopt efficiency requirements based on ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-1989 by October 24, 1994, for new and renovated commercial buildings.

As of March 6, 2006, the Hawaii DBEDT/Energy Efficiency is in the process of developing the "Tropical Energy Code" which will draw from the Guam Energy Code, ASHRAE 90.1-2004 and design considerations unique to the tropics. Please contact Howard Wiig for any questions.

On May 21, 2007, Governor Linda Lingle signed SB795 SD2 HD1 CD1, which created a nine-member state building code council to establish a state building code based on the International Building Code.

In the May 2009, the Hawaii County Council adopted the 2006 IECC with state-specific amendments. Among them, the new code gives options for roof insulation including cool roofs, advanced ventilation, and low emittance roofs by testing or specification. It also has more stringent requirements regarding pools as well as mandatory HVAC and other system commissioning.

On October 13, 2009, the Hawaii Building Code Council approved the 2006 IECC with state-specific amendments as the statewide energy code. The code will become law once an Administrative Directive is approved, which is expected to be signed soon by Gov. Linda Lingle.

The counties of Hawaii are free to modify the statewide code, as long as the codes they adopt are at least as stringent. Recent updates to the various county code processes:

  • Hawaii County adopted the amended-2006 IECC state code in May 2009
  • Maui County is expected to adopt the state code soon
  • Honolulu County is expected to adopt the state code soon
  • Kauai County is conducting work on a Hawaiianized version of the 2009 IECC

The 2009 IECC subcommittee of the Dept. of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism also continues to work on the next version of the statewide code, the 2009 IECC with state-specific amendments.

top

Energy Consumption Estimates

The consumption estimates below are derived from the total end use of residential and commercial energy consumption in the United States in 2006, and are not limited to energy consumption based on building code-related factors. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration.

  • Residential Sector: 36.9 Trillion BTU
  • Commercial Sector: 42.5 Trillion BTU
  • Total Energy Consumption: 79.4 Trillion BTU
top

Construction Activity

Residential:

  • Population (2000 US Census)1: 1,211,537
  • Total Housing Units2: 470,512
  • 2004 New Housing Units Authorized by Permit (Privately Owned)3:
    • total units: 8,785
    • 1 unit: 5,562
    • 2 units: 36
    • 3 and 4 units: 266
    • 5+ units: 2,921
    • structures of 5+ units: 211

References:

  1. http://www.census.gov/population/cen2000/phc-t2/tab01.xls
  2. http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/housing/sthuhh1.txt
  3. http://www.census.gov/const/C40/Table2/20k_t2yu200412.txt
Green Building Initiatives
top

Code Funding Opportunities

There are two funding opportunities under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA): Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants and State Energy Program. Please reference the U.S. Department of Energy for Hawaii's allocated amount and updated information. 

  

Web Links

top

State Energy Code Contacts

Howard Wiig, Institutional Energy Analyst
Energy, Resources, and Technology Division
Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism
P.O. Box 2359
Honolulu, HI 96804

Tel: (808) 587-3811
Fax: (808) 587-3820

Email: hwiig@dbedt.hawaii.gov

top