Green building & new bldg code

[kjlpahoa]

How would every body feel if the effective date of this energy conservation ordinance got delayed until January 2011? This would give time for community and professional input as to its effectiveness, both from a cost and the living environment stand points. Does tropical Hawaii need the same insulation requirements as does the mainland? Are we willing to say good-by to single wall construction and open screen sidings?

[mdd7000]

quote:

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Originally posted by John the Architect

Insulation, along with consideration of the sun and the wind, is a part of careful architecture that is now called green building...

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Exactly! Further delaying the updating of the now many years-old building code is not a good idea. Hawaii needs to be a close follower or a leader, and not among the bottom of the worst states when it comes to building codes.

[hotinhawaii]

To jerry, I do not know which climate zone we are in for the purposes of the IECC. My statement I made earlier about windows was partially incorrect. The new code as set to be adopted here requires a SHGC rating for windows that would require either tinting of single glazed windows or double-glazed windows with a low-e coating. Both are more expensive and I know of few people who really want dark tinted windows.

I agree that homes here should be insulated against heat gain particularly in the lower elevations. In my experience, a radiant barrier in the roof structure and sun-facing walls is adequate.

[kjlpahoa]

FYI - Bill 234 to extend the effective date passed 6 to 3 during yesterdays Council Meeting. Public hearings, to consider changes, will be held so now all these comminents may do some good. Rob, let's give Emily credit when credit is due. The whole County will be thanking her after a modified, realistic, and enforcable Code gets written through proper review. Yes Puna needs more repersentation and now we have the opportunity. Let's all use it by taking your PW comments to the Public Meetings.

[critterlover]

Aloha All,

The process for consideration to postpone the implementation date for the 2006 IECC by the Building Division was informative. With 27 testifiers from Hilo; 6 from Kona and 3 from Waimea, folks made their thoughts clear. Anecdotal accounts by folks like Bill Walters, and others who creatively wove their intent with humorous overtones, made the point that enforcing the code in its current state would be antithetical to the intended purpose of the Code: energy savings. Also present to testify were Architects, General Contractors, Draftsmen, Union Reps from Labors, Carpenters, and others. Then there were folks who were in different stages of building from the actual planning to near completion who raised concerns the implementation would have a negative economic and design impact on their plans.

On hand to testify was the State's Energy guy and DPW's Director, Warren Lee. The upshot of their consensus was introduced by the State's rep by quoting a notorious movie line from Cool Hand Luke, "What we have here is a failure to communicate". What proved most interesting, the more he spoke the more apparent his failure to communicate was established. When asked by Councilman Hoffman: "What do you see as the downside in waiting until January to implement the codes?" The State dude responded with '...when the economy picks back up, and especially on the Kona side, there will be more homes built that will be air conditioned and by postponing these homes will continue to consume more energy." SAY WHAT? Notice: he did not answer the 'downside to postponing until January' but simply promoted his agenda, which had those in the audience chuckling, rolling their eyes and scratching their heads! Surely he has not heard the same news we have that they do not expect the building to start picking up again between now and January?

At any rate, the State dude contends some rather ambiguous verbiage in item 103.1 of the Code clearly indicates that if you want to build a single wall - louvered windows - no insulation home - in Hawaii County, you can. Again, those of us who looked at the code failed to see that clearly expressed. Dir. Lee was asked to expound on such a procedure. He explained the Architect would make that decision. Now, unless you work in the business you do not understand how that works, thus, those sitting close by me were utterly baffled as to that statement. But, here is how that works: Typically county's building division requires a letter from architects taking responsibility for foundation, framing and changes to the plan before the final permit is issued. What Dir. Lee is saying, if you want to build a single wall home with screened open areas, no insulation, etc, you can do that with a letter from your Architect stating that your home meets the current standards/codes for fresh air and the home will not be installing energy gobbling AC/Heating. The county is supposed to accept that letter with no enforcement of the IECC. I will not opine about the ramifications of the IECC and the implications of such a letter. Suffice to say, anyone who has a window mounted AC unit for those days when it is really hot; for holidays when it is really smoky from fireworks; or, for days when it is not only hot but very Voggie, you may be in violation of the building code at some time in the future if your architect cleared your home as amply cooled/heated with its fresh air design. Wall mounted AC units were clearly derided by the State dude.

The County Council did an outstanding job of articulating the salient point: The ambiguity of the law as understood by everyone, including industry professionals, needed clarification, which meant some time perhaps before implementation. They offered and approved the 1st hearing of the Bill with the caveat that the State's dude and DPW Dir. Lee, coordinate to hold 2 informational meetings, one on our side, one on the other side, for everyone who wishes to attend. At this meeting, they will hear a presentation by the State dude [sorry, I don't know if his last name is Weeks, Wiggs or Witts...as often as I heard it I could not determine exactly what it was.] and DPW on the implementation of this code. The Council wanted to make sure these two knew these meetings would be an opportunity for the attending public to ask questions with the anticipated outcome, through education, concerns expressed during the meeting would be mitigated and the actual implementation date would not need to be postponed. They would like to have the meetings scheduled very soon as there is less than a month before the 2nd reading of the bill and if the confusion or animus still persists the postponement may be approved. Dir. Lee was asked to arrange the logistics for the meetings. I have asked Councilwoman Naeole-Beason's office to stay on top of the meeting arrangements and make sure the press [both print and opinion/blog] is immediately informed for maximum benefit.

I know that it is posted there were 3 who voted against, but I only remember two: Ford and Hoffman. I know that Ikeda, Yagong, Enriques, Yoshimoto, Greenwell and Naeole voted for...I don't recall how Onishi voted, or, if he was even present. By that time the day was so long the council members were having to take personal breaks and he may have been absent.

“A penny saved is a government oversight.”

[Bob Orts]

So is delaying implementation to educate about the new code before implementation or to provide the time to change portions of it?

[critterlover]

@Bob Orts, as I understood the intent of yesterday's vote it is pivotal on 1]education and 2]the public's assimilation of it. Clearly, there were 2 items that seemed to be a thorn in the project from the public and the Council. 1]The exclusion of the "exemption for Hawaii" clause and the generic or ambiguous verbiage of section 103.1 if of the code. [I think the section is located under 'General Materials'.] It would be best if an inclusion of verbiage that clearly assuages the mass's concerns about the 'one size fits all' feel of the code vs leaving it as it is -- open for interpretation by everyone -- which has heretofore been to the detriment of the intent of the bill. Also, a testimony regarding what qualifies as 'substantial' renovations and how that is interpreted by the Building Division [and I later confirmed the veracity with a trusted source] raised additional red flags not yet noticed on the horizon of all other flags.

Yesterday was the first reading. I sensed those who voted 'yay' yesterday would rather not postpone implementation. I believe they correctly perceived the frustration in the testimony vs the alleged 'clear as mud' picture the 'failure to communicate' communicator was unable to convey. Truly, they need to get someone who can interpret between what they are saying and what the 'folks' -- including many of the council -- are hearing. Councilman Ikeda was circumspect with his comments regarding the Building Div staff sharing their concerns with his office that were somewhat out of touch with their director's laissez faire. [author's perspective] Councilman Greenwell was truly a bright spot in a very VERY long day. His contribution evoked an audible affirmation from my own lips for which there was no doubt that I just said out loud what I was thinking. He truly provided much needed humor relief and left the 'great communicator' MUTE! I kid you not.

There is a clear need the integrated partners in this endeavor need to get on the same page. When you have every architect present yesterday, those that I personally contacted over the past 2 weeks, plus many contractors AND the working staff at the Building Division, all pretty much saying and believing one thing while the State guy and the Dir. of DPW are in a completely different book, never mind on a different page, there is need for serious education; out of that hopefully adjustment to the code which will make it more realistic/practical. One man who owns a home in the same 'zone' in Florida as well as a home here shared his power bill from his home in Florida [5 times higher] vs the one here. He explained the weather in the same Zone in Florida ranges from under freezing to up to 110 degrees. He said everyone has air conditioning and heating! A general contractor who has worked in humid zones with the codes the folks want to impose in place and he says the mold is unspeakable. So, hopefully, these same people will be at the meeting once again and perhaps create a forum for adapting before adopting.

“A penny saved is a government oversight.”

[Bob Orts]

So it sounds like it's not the "code" itself, but,
1. People were not prepared for it and need to be educated, (main reason?)
2. There are questionable definitions that are broad resulting in nobody interpreting it the same, (Can't enforce a code if everyone is seeing something different?)
and
3. Some items that may not apply are written so as to give the impression it applies. (Did they really mean to say what they said?)

Is that the basics of the need for a delay?

[critterlover]

@Bob Orts, I believe you expressed it correctly.

To everyone, I made a mistake in identifying who voted yay...Councilman Greenwell actually was missing from his seat when the vote was taken. That would mean that Councilman Onishi was the one that completed the 6. My apologies for the inaccuracies.

“A penny saved is a government oversight.”