Hawaiʻi Building Energy Codes - Hawai‘i State Energy Office

CURRENTly enforced county ENERGY CODE: 2018 IECC

In December 2020 the Hawaii State Building Code Council (SBCC) adopted the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) with amendments. The code sets energy efficiency requirements for both residential and commercial buildings. The state energy code was then sent to the counties for adoption.

The county path involves review by the Corporation Councils followed by County Council hearings, amendments, adoption, and approval by the mayors. The code is then enforced via the plan checking and site inspection process. As of 2024, all four counties have adopted the 2018 IECC (some with additional county specific amendments) and these are the currently enforced energy codes for new construction.

2018 Hawai’i State Energy Code: International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) with State Amendments (PDF)

Energy Code Checklists

Here you can find the state energy codes and county specific energy code checklists.

Commercial and High-rise residential

Checklist with State Amendments

Checklist with Maui Amendments

Checklist with Honolulu Amendements

Low-rise residential

Checklist with State Amendments

Checklist with Maui Amendments

Checklist with Honolulu Amendments

Training Presentations and Videos

This code update moves Maui from the 2015 to the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code, with updated County amendments. Join these sessions to learn how these changes will affect your projects.

Low-rise residential requirements

Commercial and high-rise residential requirements

This workshop is approved by AIA for 1.5 LU (HSW).

This code update moves Honolulu from the 2015 to the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code, with updated County amendments. Join these sessions to learn how these changes will affect your projects.

Low-rise residential requirements

Commercial and high-rise residential requirements

This workshop is approved by AIA for 1.5 LU (HSW).

Leading edge Hawai’i builders Castle & Cooke, D.R. Horton, Gentry Homes and Stanford Carr share their expertise in delivering efficient, comfortable and affordable homes. Take advantage of their experience and support the State’s transition to 100% clean energy.

This was the third in a series of three webinars covering building energy efficiency and the energy code in Hawai‘i. This final session covered the topics of designing to exceed energy code requirements, efficiency strategies in both new and existing buildings, and incentives that are available for energy efficiency measures.

Video: Workshop 3 Beyond Code, Net Zero Energy and Existing Buildings

This was the second in a series of three webinars covering building energy efficiency and the energy code in Hawai‘i. This session focused on thermal comfort and indoor air quality, and covered fundamentals of building systems, including lighting, air conditioning, ventilation, and air filtration. The emphasis was on residential building systems.

Video: Comfort, Air Quality and Lighting

Video: Comfort, Air Quality and Lighting

A new energy code takes effect for Hawai‘i State building projects on December 14, 2021, and for other projects no later than December 2022, depending on adoption by the Counties. This webinar provided guidance on the energy code compliance process and covered a range of project types, including new construction and alteration projects.

Presenters: Howard Wiig, Energy Analyst with the State Energy Office and Chair of the State Building Code Council, and Erik Kolderup, building energy consultant and energy code specialist.

Video: Energy Code Webinar

The need for zero-energy homes is greater than ever as Hawai‘i transitions to 100 percent clean energy. This webinar provided information to help designers and contractors to integrate efficiency, solar energy, and energy storage.

Presenters: Howard Wiig, Energy Analyst with the State Energy Office and Chair of the State Building Code Council, and Erik Kolderup, building energy consultant and energy code specialist.

Video: Zero Energy Home Webinar

Presenters: Howard Wiig, Energy Analyst with the State Energy Office and Chair of the State Building Code Council, and Erik Kolderup, building energy consultant and energy code specialist.

An update to the building energy code has been adopted by the State Building Code Council, moving Hawai‘i from the 2015 IECC to the 2018 IECC. The webinars provided an overview of code requirements with emphasis on the Hawai‘i amendments and updated requirements.

Commercial and High-Rise Residential Requirements Training Material

Video: Hawai‘i 2018 IECC commercial 2021 05 19

PLANS FOR Future codes

Future IECC measures will include working with the utilities to network homes and buildings using clean electrical sources to create integrated grids at the campus and community level. This will involve customers voluntarily (in exchange for lower utility prices) engaging in a demand response program, wherein they agree to have some of their electrical power curtailed when the utility is running short of supply. The time of use pricing measure involves customers using as much energy as possible when supply is plentiful and curtailing use when supply is short. A third program is demand response II, wherein customers with PV batteries or with EVs agree (in exchange for a reduced electricity rate) to have their batteries tapped into when electricity demand is high and supply short.

Ultimately it is the goal of the International Codes Council to adopt zero net energy (ZNE) codes by 2030. ZNE is achieved when homes and buildings reduce energy use to an absolute minimum and produce an equivalent amount of energy on site or off site — usually by solar and wind.