Hawaii Energy Code (HEC)

Last updated: 13 February 2019
The Hawaii Energy Code (HEC) adopted the 2015 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2013 with amendments by the State Building Council on July 14, 2015. The HEC must be adopted separately by the four counties. State law (Act 164, 2014), requires that if the counties do not adopt HEC by 2017, the HEC becomes the interim code for the counties.

2015 IECC with Amendments:
- Sub-metering in new buildings with tenant spaces > 1,000 square feet - In-room energy management systems, Section C405.2.4 amended to apply to: all hotels, motels, and time-share condominiums, include ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, include requirement for a mechanism that shuts off the HVAC for the room when exterior doors to the room are open. - Alternatives for wall insulation will be permitted depending upon the assembly type and exterior shading.

All Homes:

- Domestic water heating - a solar energy source must apply > 90% of the energy for service water heating

- Fenestration shading options

- Ceiling fan rough-ins for all major living spaces

- Points-based option for prescriptive approach per Section R402.1, allows trade-offs for reduction in wood and steel frame wall and roof insulation. Each of the options indicated in Table 11 is worth approximately 1% energy increase or decrease and is based on the analysis performed for other options per Section 6.2.3 of the Determination Analysis Report.

Less than 50% Cooled Homes (Tropical Homes)

- Increased attic/roof insulation minimum requirements to R-13 and cool roof.

- Fenestration products must meet Window Solar Heat Gain Coefficient of 0.25 (refer to Section 6.2.2.2)

- Air sealing for all assemblies between conditioned and unconditioned space

- 1.2 cfm/ft2 air leakage allowance of jalousie windows per Section R402.4.3

- Points-based option for prescriptive approach (Section R402.1). Points options are fewer for naturally ventilated homes.

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