Hawaiʻi commits to design and implement innovative building policies, with support from residents, counties, philanthropy, and non-governmental organizations
April 7, 2025 | Honolulu – Governor Josh Green, M.D. announced that Hawaiʻi has joined the National Building Performance Standard Coalition (Coalition), an IMT-led coalition of local and state governments committed to improving buildings. Hawaiʻi’s commitment will address the large commercial buildings responsible for 78% of the state’s commercial building emissions.
Upgrading and retrofitting buildings to increase efficiency also increases affordability and can dramatically reduce harmful air pollution. At the same time, energy retrofits and upgrades can be leveraged to improve a building’s health and resilience for its occupants, while generating jobs and increasing local economic investment. Through the Coalition, the State of Hawaiʻi commits to initiating state building retrofits that prioritize energy efficiency and increase community and local stakeholder participation—with the ultimate goal of advancing legislation or regulation by April 2026.
The successful adoption and implementation of a building performance standard (BPS) is expected to drive investments in the building sector and bolster jobs in the design, construction, and trades industries, helping Hawaiʻi to meet its goal of 6,000 GWh in energy savings by 2045.
Energy efficiency benchmarking projects initiated by the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office include high level building energy audits and a multi-part energy strategy for utility bill cost savings for small and medium-sized state agencies. Developed in partnership with Hawaiʻi-based contractors, the strategy takes current technologies, incentives, tariff and grid options, energy costs, and financing approaches into account.
Participation in the National BPS Coalition will extend, update, and strengthen existing policies for energy efficiency, such as Hawaiʻi’s Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard. Net zero-ready building energy codes can reduce embodied carbon in buildings and reduce “code fatigue” among developers. Building performance standards can guide the use of public funds that support energy efficiency retrofits for existing buildings.
“Joining the National BPS Coalition demonstrates Hawaiʻi’s commitment to clean energy, lowering energy costs and creating quality jobs,” said Governor Josh Green, M.D. “In partnership with the counties, building performance standards will keep us on track to achieve net zero emissions and realize our 2045 Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard.”
“The National BPS Coalition directly addresses the need for lower energy costs, locally driven climate action, and clean-energy workers hired from the local community. This effort provides local government with technical expertise and real-world case studies and connects residents with policymakers to make sure their needs are met,” said Alex Dews, CEO of the Institute for Market Transformation.
Together, the Coalition’s members account for 25% of the nation’s large building space. If all members of the National BPS Coalition implement building performance policies, IMT estimates they will result in:
- Better buildings for over 90 million people
- $132 billion cumulatively invested in buildings through 2040
- 676 million metric tons of CO2e cumulatively eliminated through 2040
Watch Governor Green explain what this commitment means for Hawaiʻi’s clean energy future:
For more information about the coalition, visit www.NationalBPSCoalition.org
Media Contacts
Alexandra Laney
Director of Communications
Institute for Market Transformation
Contact information
Yvonne Hunter
Strategy and Marketing Officer
Hawaiʻi State Energy Office
Cell: 808-497-0080
Email: yvonne.l.hunter@hawaii.gov
Erika Engle
Press Secretary
Office of the Governor, State of Hawai‘i
Phone: 808-586-0120
Email: erika.engle@hawaii.gov
Makana McClellan
Director of Communications
Office of the Governor, State of Hawaiʻi
Cell: 808-265-0083
Email: makana.mcclellan@hawaii.gov
