Green Magazine Hawaii Jan/Feb/Mar 2017

JAN/FEB/MAR 2017

Vol. 9 #1

greenmagazinehawaii.com

KumuKit 2.0—New Version. New Vision. ™

PV GENERATION

COLLECTIVE CLEAN ENERGY RESOURCE

YOUR ENERGY DASHBOARD

hawaii energy connection ADAPTABLE GRID-WISE SOLUTION

HOME LOAD MONITORING

ENERGY TIME OF USE

EMERGENCY BACKUP SCALABLE SMART STORAGE

Smart Energy Management Welcome to the way forward—KumuKit™2.0 with Smart Energy Management now has the ability to leverage a PV system’s production to your advantage by automatically optimizing energy generation, usage and export. Simple and automated control of your energy means you can take advantage of all utility and grid support benefits and adapt to changing solar energy policy. Modular in design, and scalable, optional Smart Storage increases your PV system’s effectiveness by allowing both smart energy export or non-export/self consumption between specific times each day. Additional benefits include emergency backup for important loads such as lighting, medical equipment and refrigeration when needed. Get connected.

Join Hawaii’s clean-energy KumuHui.

kumukit.com 808-524-7336 Hawaii Energy Connection LLC | Contractor #C31046

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Y

es, you can still save big on your electric bill! Under the current customer self-supply solar program, homeowners can’t send excess solar to the grid but can still draw power from the grid. Today, you’re hearing more and more about batteries and energy-storage systems.

But did you know that not all battery and energy-storage systems are alike?

So much more than just batteries, the KumuKit™ Powerblocks system connects to new and existing photovoltaic (PV) systems and works together with your solar panels and household electrical devices, allowing you to manage your energy using an Energy Management Controller (EMC).

In fact, all newly installed KumuKit™ PV systems come with this innovative and proprietary EMC, creating a PV energymanagement system unlike any other in Hawai‘i or on the market today.

Our self-supply systems can start at $5,000 after state and federal tax credits and cover roughly 30 percent of a home’s energy demand. Customers can later add batteries to increase their system size. The total upfront costs, before tax credits, range from $14,000 (without batteries) to upwards of $35,000 (with batteries). In 2008, at the beginning of Hawai‘i’s PV solar boom, the cost of PV alone was the same price as PV with energy storage today.

Power outages from tropical storms and electrical grid failure are inevitable. Keep the power flowing and your family going with KumuKit™ Powerblocks and you won’t have to suffer through them again.

KumuKit™ Powerblocks operates silently in the background, providing immediate backup power to lighting, medical equipment, refrigerators, televisions, radios, phone chargers and other critical items that

are important to your family in times of emergency.

KumuKit™ has fantastic financing options available, too. Many of you already have Net Energy Metering (NEM) or Customer Grid-Supply (CGS) approvals to install a PV system but are unable to contact your original contractor, or they’re longer in business. Give us a call and we’ll help you continue the installation process.

Last month, we offered free, well-attended educational seminars that will continue at our facility in January after the holidays.

Every family is unique with its home electricity usage, so knowing the PV system size you will need is a big deal. With our exclusive PV SIZER™ tool, let us help you visualize the system you’ll need and better understand how to maximize its power.

HAWAII ENERGY CONNECTION LLC (KumuKit) 99-1350 Koaha Place, Aiea, HI 96701

808.524.7336 hawaiienergyconnection.com Battery Storage for PV NOW!

Your Power. Your Way.

Hawaii Energy Connection | Contractor #C31046

kumukit.com/storage 808-524-7336

Photo: Courtesy Hawaiian Legacy Restoration Initiative

PLANTING IT FORWARD

ADVERTORIAL

For more on the Legacy Forest or to plant a Legacy Tree or Family Forest, visit LegacyTrees.org or HawaiianLegacyTours.com.

Photo: Hawai‘i Parks and Recreation Program Pilikulaiwi Photo: Hawai‘i Parks and Recreation Program Pilikulaiwi

This fall, more than two dozen Hawai‘i Island youth trekked up the slopes of Mauna Kea to plant hundreds of koa seedlings.

They are the latest in a long line of environmental stewards who are taking part in an ongoing demonstration of social ecological responsibility. In just six years, hundreds of businesses and tens of thousands of individuals have helped plant more than 350,000 endemic koa, sandalwood and other native trees in the state’s only Hawaiian Legacy Forest.

Spearheaded by the nonprofit Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative, their efforts are helping HLRI reach its goal of planting 1.3 million trees—one for each man, woman and child in the state of Hawai‘i.

Several thousand feet above sea level lies a historic site that was once a pristine endemic forest and the personal property of King Kamehameha the Great. Sadly, this land was cleared nearly a century ago to make room for farming and ranching.

Working together with environmentally conscious landowners and caring individuals, this special place is once again a thriving ecosystem covering nearly 1,000 acres.

Although she lives nearly 3,700 miles away in Dallas, Christine Johnson is no stranger to Hawai‘i. Over the years, she has logged more than 45 trips to the islands and has driven nearly every backroad in the state. But the Legacy Forest was a new discovery for her. She learned about the reforestation project through Earl Regidor, manager of the Ka‘üpülehu Cultural Center at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on Hawai‘i Island, and booked a tree-planting excursion with Regidor through Hawaiian Legacy Tours.

Christine, who had originally sponsored 100 trees, was so moved by the experience that she decided to leave a legacy of a 1,000-tree Family Forest. A week before her visit, a group of youth from the Hawai‘i Parks and Recreation Program Pilikulaiwi planted many of the seedlings for Christine.

Pilikulaiwi educates youth in the natural environment through exploration and recreation. “Their help in fulfilling this wonderful wish of mine allowed me to visualize the future forest,” Christine says. “I thank them for doing it and hope that over the years we can all take pride in watching our trees grow.”

“Pilikulaiwi, which means ‘building a relationship with the homeland,’ focuses on teaching students between the ages of 10 and 18 years old sustainable and respectful methods to utilize and preserve Hawai‘i’s natural resources,” says Kevin Nekoba, a program coordinator with Pilikulaiwi. “We are getting these kids into nature. They are smiling. They are chanting. You talk about koa, how it grows curly, how long it takes to grow, and you can see their minds working.”

For Christine, dedicating her Legacy Trees to Hawai‘i Island is a meaningful way to say thank you for the aloha she has experienced throughout her visits. “When I looked around and saw where these kids had planted the trees, that is what was in my heart,” she says. “What greater gift could I give?”

ADVERTORIAL

CONTENTS VOLUME 9 NUMBER 1 // JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

GREEN ______________________________________ 08 Cool Stuff Global Village

10 Network

Green Drinks Honolulu, Hawai‘i Build + Buy Green

12 Recycle

Marine debris workshop at the IUCN World Conservation Congress

13 Reef

Oxybenzone is damaging coral reefs

14 Volunteer

USGBC Hawaii Green Apple Day of Service

DESIGN ______________________________________ 15 The Built Environment The built environment is integral to the holistic health of our island communities

24 Three Questions

Green Building Hawai‘i’s Principal John Bendon talks sustainable upgrades and certification

ENERGY ______________________________________ 32 Electric Avenue

The road to an EV-friendly Hawai‘i

36 Self-Supply and Energy Independence

Hawai‘i’s PV evolution from net metering to self-supply and energy storage

NATURE ______________________________________ 42 Papahānaumokuākea

Executive action creates the largest marine reserve in the world

SALT, AT OUR KAKA’AKO, COMBINES CULTURE AND UTILITY TO CREATE AN INVITING LIVEWORK-PLAY ENVIRONMENT FOR THE LOCAL URBANITE. ARTIST KAMEA HADAR GETS BUSY. PHOTO: KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS

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46 Endangered Warriors

The Hawai‘i Wildlife Center rescues endangered native wildlife

Photo: Lee Gillenwater, The Pew Charitable Trusts

ON THE COVER _______________________________

NEXT LEVEL

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS, WITHOUT LEAVING THE GROUND. Sleek shape, lower athletic stance and new double-wishbone rear suspension 4.2-in. color dual Multi-Information Display, available color Head-Up Display and Toyota Safety Senseâ„¢ P 58 mpg* city EXPERIENCE THE TOYOTA PRIUS AT YOUR TOYOTA HAWAII DEALERS.

* 2016 EPA mpg estimate for Prius Two Eco. Actual mileage may vary. See fueleconomy.gov for details.

Powered by Toyota Hawaii

Published by Element Media, Inc. VOLUME 9 :: NUMBER 1 :: JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

President Jamie Giambrone Publisher Naomi Hazelton Managing Editor Kevin Whitton Editor Lauren McNally laurenm@elementmediahi.com Art Director Keith Usher Contributing Writers Stuart Coleman, Erin Higa, Lindsey Kesel Contributing Photographers Aaron Bernard, Dave Miyamoto, Darryl Watanabe Vice President of Sales and Marketing Nicholas Riopelle nicholas@elementmediahi.com Senior Account Executive Jennifer Dorman Publishers’ Assistant Thomas Goodwin Administration Crystal Rogers, Sally Shaner Editorial Intern Corinna Wong Design Intern Olivia Sou

Subscribe and read online at greenmagazinehawaii.com.

Contact Element Media at 1088 Bishop Street, Suite 1130, Honolulu, HI 96813; 808.737.8711.

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Green Magazine Hawai‘i is a quarterly publication available through subscription, direct mail and bookstores throughout Hawai‘i.

The views expressed within Green Magazine Hawai‘i do not necessarily reflect the opinions of management and ownership.

Green Magazine Hawai‘i may not be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

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Live Hawai‘i, Love Hawai‘i,

B U I L D A G R E E N H AWA I ‘ I We transform built environments into models of sustainability by delivering consulting and training expertise that optimize performance and maximize value.

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Hyatt Regency Maui Receives the Hawai‘i Green Business Program Award

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ALL THAT JAZZ

Beachy Kailua boutique Global Village is one of our favorite stops for homemade gifts on the windward side of O‘ahu 1 2

3 1. SIMBI HAIR TIES Colorful Simbi hair ties can be worn in the hair or on the wrist. Each hair tie sold helps bring clean water and jobs to Haiti. [$3] 4

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2. MATR BOOMIE JEWELRY POUCHES Made in India from upcycled saris, these handmade, fairtrade-certified jewelry pouches give new life to beautiful fabrics and help artisans build sustainable livelihoods in their communities. [$4 or free with jewelry purchase]

globalvillagehawaii.com

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3. KUMA SUNGLASSES Kuma sunglasses come in a variety of styles, all featuring bamboo arms. Kuma has teamed up with the nonprofit Trees for the Future to plant a tree for every pair sold. [$36] 4. GIRL LOVES SEA Made with sterling silver and 14-karat gold, Girl Loves Sea’s one-of-a-kind jewelry collection is handcrafted with sea glass and shells sourced from Hawai‘i waters. [$40– $110] 5. CHAVEZ FOR CHARITY Chavez for Charity semiprecious stone bracelets are color coordinated to benefit specific nonprofits.

Subscribe to Green Magazine Hawai‘i now!

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See our website for a complete listing.

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COOL STUFF // NETWORK // RECYCLE // REEF // VOLUNTEER

| NETWORK |

GREEN DRINKS HONOLULU

Photos: David Livingston

If you didn’t go to Green Drinks Honolulu in October, then you missed out on intriguing conversation with leaders in sustainability and the best beet poke in the state, courtesy of Chef Ed Kenney and the team of chefs at Mud Hen Water.

Barret Werk, owner and master woodworker at Werk Arts, showed off his handcrafted bambooframe bicycle while Boca Hawaii owner Hina Torres de Sa had attendees test drive the new Porteur S electric bike from Faraday—a sweet ride.

ADUs, affordable housing, communities and innovative solutions to O‘ahu’s housing shortage dominated the day at the 16th annual Hawai‘i Build + Buy Green Conference at the UH Cancer Center on September 22, 2016. Produced by USGBC Hawai‘i, the event brought together local and mainland experts in green building, affordable housing, design, engineering, planning, construction and development. Attendees enjoyed a walking tour of Kaka‘ako, lunch from Street Grindz and a keynote speech

by Alistair Jackson and Krista Egger of Enterprise Community Partners. Mayor Kirk Caldwell also stopped by to share his vision for smart strategies to create housing in Hawai‘i.

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Photos: Dean Masai, Hawaii State Energy Office

HAWAI‘I BUILD + BUY GREEN

GREEN

COOL STUFF // NETWORK // RECYCLE // REEF // VOLUNTEER

CALLING ALL ARTIVISTS

The average American uses and discards 185 pounds of plastic a year. On September 3, 2016, the IUCN World Conservation Congress hosted a free workshop based on Plastic Fantastic?, an interactive installation at the Honolulu Museum of Art’s Spalding House. Titled “The Power of Art in Conservation,” the workshop enabled participants to give single-use plastics a second life by turning marine debris collected from the shores of O‘ahu into minisculptures and wearable lei.

Featured artivist Shannon McCarthy and a team of museum instructors guided attendees in crafting bottlecaps, straws and other discarded plastics into expressive works of art. McCarthy invited participants to consider where their trash goes when they throw it away—to contemplate the history and journey of the found objects as well as the intention behind the materials and the changes they can make in their own lives to become part of the broader marine debris solution.

McCarthy also shared how she came to use marine debris as her medium of choice—from witnessing the beauty of Hawai‘i’s coasts

Photo: Lindsey Kesel

Marine debris art and conservation workshop at the IUCN World Conservation Congress

juxtaposed with the devastation of plastic pollution. She discussed how socially engaged art practices like creative reuse can be used to communicate a persistent problem and inspire people to make responsible choices that respect the environment.

“Art as a bridge connects science, politics and all of humanity and makes the topic feel visceral,” McCarthy says. “Art should be included in solutions for climate change. The medium is the message.” —Lindsey Kesel

ALOHA TOWER FARMERS' MARKET Located on the historic Honolulu Harbor next to Hawaii’s famous landmark, Aloha Tower.

Support Local | hfbf.org/market/

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GREEN

COOL STUFF // NETWORK // RECYCLE // REEF // VOLUNTEER

SUN, SAND AND OXYBENZONE The verdict is in—sunscreen is damaging coral reefs

In 2016, Hawai‘i made history by hosting two world-class conferences in Honolulu: the International Coral Reef Symposium in June and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress in September. Climate change and ocean acidification were major topics at both conferences, with scientists sounding the alarm about the decline of our coral reefs. “Everyone of us has a role to play,” celebrated primatologist and conservationist Jane Goodall during one of her keynote addresses at the World Conservation Congress. “Here’s my challenge—think about the consequences of the little things

you do every day.”

Sunscreen is one little thing that’s actually a big thing in Hawai‘i. Many sunscreens contain a toxic chemical called oxybenzone. After years of research, scientists have found that oxybenzone and derivatives like avobenzone are damaging coral reefs. The U.K.-based environmental group Marine Safe estimates that up to 16,000 tons of sunscreen are introduced into coral reef habitats around the world each year. On Maui, it’s no coincidence that more than 2.25 million visitors slathered in sunscreen visit Kä‘anapali Beach each year and there has been a 40 percent decline in coral cover in the last 15 years.

“A ban is the right thing to do in order to protect our fragile marine ecosystem,” says Hawai‘i State Senator Will Espero, who recently introduced a bill to ban sunscreens containing oxybenzone.

“Since our ocean environment is key to our

tourism industry and our economic lifeline, banning a chemical substance that harms our coral and other marine animals should be a top priority next year in the state legislature.”

The bill has been gathering support among environmental groups as well as local hotels and resorts that recognize coral reefs are the backbone of our coastal ecosystems and local economy. To promote community engagement, the Surfrider Foundation will be hosting a free workshop called “Civics is Sexy” at the State Capitol on Saturday, January 21. As Marine Biologist and National Geographic Society Explorer-in-Residence Dr. Sylvia Earle said at the IUCN World Conservation Congress, “We should be caring for the natural world as if our lives depended on it—because our lives do depend on it.”

—Stuart Coleman

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GREEN

VOLUNTEER

| VOLUNTEER |

DESIGNING WITH ALOHA

Photos: Ryan Masuda, HHF Planners

Green Apple Day of Service installs cultural garden at Blanche Pope Elementary School

TRANSFORMING - LAND BACK TO ‘AINA Specializing in Cultural and Ecological Landscapes

• Hawaii’s largest selection of Native Hawaiian Plants & Endangered Species • Licensed and Insured • Erosion Control • Hydroseeding/Mulching • Xeriscaping • Landscape Services • Landscape Maintenance

nativehawaiianplants@gmail.com

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www.HawaiianNativePlants.com 14

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Started by the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council in 2012, Green Apple Day of Service challenges hundreds of thousands of volunteers every year to build greener environments in their schools and communities. This year, HHF Landscape Designer Angelica Rockquemore led a team of passionate designers and planners in developing four unique design projects at Blanche Pope Elementary School in Waimänalo to further realize the school’s vision for its native and canoe plant cultural garden. The work included a shaded arbor learning space called the Lilikoi Hale, a gravel pathway to define learning zones, a pili grass planting bed and improvements

to the garden’s existing irrigation system to enhance student learning and overall wellbeing.

The leadership and mana‘o provided

by Kumu Laurie Kahiapo of Growing Pono Schools and Landscape Designer Dr. Alberto Ricordi of PBR Hawaii was integral in realizing the vision for the project. The outpouring of community participation and support, as evidenced by the project’s more than 200 volunteers ranging from keiki to kupuna, personified the Hawaiian proverb, “A‘ohe hana nui ke alu ‘ia,” meaning “no task is too big when done together by all,” and was a true testament to the aloha of Waimänalo. —Erin Higa

DESIGN

THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT // THREE QUESTIONS

THE BUILT

ENVIRONMENT When it comes to the environment, people invariably think of nature. But the built environment is just as important to the holistic health of our island communities.

As sustainable design and build practices become commonplace, our built environment will evolve to meet our daily needs for health, comfort and efficiency. From renovated and new homes to sustainable schools and commercial buildings, these dynamic spaces inspire us to use our ingenuity and creativity to make the jump from sustainable buildings to sustainable communities.

BY KEVIN WHITTON

GREENMAGAZINE HAWAII.COM

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| DESIGN | | FERRARO CHOI AND ASSOCIATES |

WEST HAWAII

EXPLORATIONS ACADEMY The West Hawaii Explorations Academy is the first start-up charter high school and a nationally recognized laboratory school for science-focused, outdoor, hands-on education. Located in Kailua-Kona, the highly sustainable campus was designed to be LEED 2009 For Schools Platinum equivalent and a net-zero energy facility.

The campus resides in the Kalaoa Ahupua‘a and adheres to the concept of ahupua‘a as an organizing philosophy in terms of the context of the site and how the structures are dispersed based on their use. The mauka portion of an ahupua`a is characterized by forests and cold streams that flow to coastal areas; the campus mirrors this relationship by receiving cold, deep seawater distributed by the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority

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at its mauka boundary, where it’s put toward domestic uses. The water goes toward agriculture uses at the center of campus and toward aquaculture uses in makai areas.

The net-zero campus was designed as three distinct villages organized around landscaped courtyards, or activity zones.

The buildings are simple, flexible, cost-effective structures that prioritize functionality and sustainability. A high priority was given to orientation for daylighting, shading and renewableenergy systems like photovoltaic arrays and solar water heating panels. The construction materials and finishes were selected for their durability, low-maintenance upkeep, cost effectiveness and conformance with sustainable building requirements.

GREENMAGAZINE HAWAII.COM

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Photos: Andrea Brizzi Photography

Renderings: Hawaii ADU

| DESIGN |

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| HAWAII ADU |

OHANA KIT The Ohana Kit, a prefabricated high-performance accessory dwelling unit (ADU), is available in 14 different models, ranging from 200 to 800 square feet of interior living space. The modular designs also allow for creative flexibility and customization.

Ohana Kits are built off-site in a sustainable factory. They are framed in heavy-gauge steel reinforced with metal studs and feature high-density insulation and concrete composites that are windand weather-proof. Incorporating a lanai in the design increases the structure’s usable square footage.

Standing seam metal roofs come standard on Ohana Kit ADUs. Their efficiency and small footprint can also bring down the price on any renewable-energy upgrades.

GREENMAGAZINE HAWAII.COM

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Photo: Dave Miyamoto

Photo: Sakamoto Architects

Photo: Sakamoto Architects

| DESIGN |

| SAKAMOTO ARCHITECTS |

PACIFIC HEIGHTS HOUSE Originally built in 1927—the garage is sized for a Model T car—this four-bedroom, two-bath, 2,000-square-foot Pacific Heights house was severely dilapidated when Dean Sakamoto, principal at Dean Sakamoto Architects, purchased the house in 2006. While some recommended he raze the house, he drew plans to renovate and restore the historic home back to its 1920s splendor. By doing so, this preservation-minded architect diverted more than 600 cubic yards of waste from O‘ahu’s landfill.

Wood not damaged by termites or dry rot was retained, and all the original doors and windows were restored and re-glazed. New windows and doors were either reclaimed, salvaged or made on site. A double-hung window installed on the first floor was sourced from a 19th century church in Connecticut.

Architecturally, the Hawaiian bungalow-style residence is an excellent example of passive ventilation design. The bedroom wing is oriented to the northeastern trade winds and the kitchen is on the opposite side of the floor plan. The windows are double-hung for high and low ventilation opportunities. The large roof and high attic space are vented on each end to keep the living areas cool so that no air conditioning is necessary.

Active sustainable improvements include energy-efficiency measures such as a solar hot water system and a 14-kilowatt photovoltaic array. Ceiling fans were installed in every room for maximum air circulation. The Pacific Heights House is on the Hawai‘i State Register of Historic Places.

GREENMAGAZINE HAWAII.COM

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Photos: Kamehameha Schools

| KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS |

SALT AT OUR KAKA‘AKO Kamehameha Schools is creating an innovative, vibrant and sustainable community in Honolulu’s urban core with SALT at Our Kaka‘ako. The outdoor mall incorporates the adaptive re-use of existing structures. The Quonset hut warehouses on Auahi Street, for example, were thoughtfully restored for incoming restaurants and shops at SALT. The newly opened Moku Kitchen is one of SALT at Our Kaka‘ako’s recent additions. Award-winning Chef Peter Merriman crafts island-style creations using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible.

SALT at Our Kaka‘ako also features original cultural artwork throughout its buildings, creating a Hawaiian sense of place both historically and culturally. The Kamehameha Schools Kai‘ulu ‘o Kaka‘ako Master Plan envisions gathering spaces where innovative ideas can be shared throughout the community, through mediums such as art.

Renowned local street artist Kamea Hadar, co-founder of the culture, music and arts festival POW! WOW!, portrayed the Hawaiian legend of the naupaka flower on the parking structure of SALT at Our Kaka‘ako. Featured in two parts of the complex, the work depicts the separation of Naupaka, sister of the Hawaiian goddess Pele, and her lover, Kaui. The image of Naupaka faces the ocean, incorporating vertical blue gradients to represent the horizon over the sea. The image of Kaui, Naupaka’s lover, faces the mountains and features vertical green gradients to represent the lands where he fled from Pele’s fury.

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GREENMAGAZINE HAWAII.COM

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THREE QUESTIONS

Photo: Green Building Hawaii

DESIGN

| THREE QUESTIONS |

PAY IT FORWARD John Bendon, founding principal and primary consultant at Green Building Hawaii, has been helping builders, architects and engineers build and maintain high-performance buildings and homes since 2007. With a decade of experience in the field, Bendon is also sharing his knowledge of sustainable design and operations through classes and training to audiences across the globe.

How are sustainable building practices or upgrades profitable for companies looking out for their bottom lines?

One of the few benefits of high energy costs in Hawai‘i is that it makes many of the retrofit opportunities financially attractive. Coupling energy savings with rebate incentives from Hawaii Energy for upfront cost reductions can allow projects to have returns on investment that exceed many other investment opportunities with very low risk. Sustainable building practices go beyond just energy and take into account healthy spaces for the occupants. Making sure that spaces are good for people can actually have an even greater effect on the bottom line, as personnel costs are typically far more than the energy costs of a building.

Creating spaces that allow people to be more 24

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productive because lighting, thermal comfort and air quality are good can have a really big impact on the bottom line. Owners that understand these concepts and couple investments in energy retrofits with building healthier spaces will absolutely see a positive financial impact.

What is the benefit of applying for and receiving certification like LEED or Energy Star, instead of just building to those standards?

The main reason to actually go through a certification program versus building to a certain standard is that certification through a program requires that the project team be accountable and actually follow through on various items that could potentially be value engineered out. A good example of

one of the key items required in a LEED certification that is often eliminated from projects that just build to the standard is the commissioning (Cx) of building systems.

The Cx process requires that a third party come in and test the performance of key equipment with specialized instrumentation to make sure that things are operating as designed. There are numerous studies that have been done that show the financial benefit of the Cx process, and we have seen firsthand through our own Cx work how brand-new systems that have been signed off on by the contractor and their subs have something wrong with them. Because the process requires an additional upfront cost and is not something that is standard for all projects, it often gets removed from the project scope even though there are proven benefits for going through the process. It is absolutely possible to build a great building without taking it through a certification program, but it’s much easier to miss items or gloss over important elements when the project team is not being held accountable and reviewed by a trained third party.

What do you feel is the best solution for the state to reach its 100 percent renewable energy goal by 2045?

There is no single best solution for Hawai‘i to reach the goal of 100 percent renewables by 2045 but a lot of focus needs to be spent on energy efficiency. In past years under net metering for solar, we saw a number of cases where inefficient building loads were completely offset by solar panels.

One of the reasons this was happening is that putting solar on a building can be much less complex than working through an integrated systems approach to energy efficiency. It takes expertise on a variety of building systems to maximize energyefficiency opportunities. Additionally, lighting and air-conditioning retrofits can be more disruptive than adding solar panels to a rooftop. Now that the economics of solar are changing, there will be a renewed focus on energy efficiency and storage solutions, which will help round out our efforts to meet the 2045 clean energy goal.

THE RIGHT ROOFING

Before budgeting for replacement or installation, here are five things to consider 1. Times change.

Durable, protective shingles that reflect heat are increasingly becoming an exceptional roofing alternative in Hawai‘i. Most asphalt roofing shingles can reach temperatures of 180 degrees on an average day. Solar reflective shingles, such as Certainteed Solaris Platinum shingles, reflect up to 48 percent of the sun’s rays, keeping your home that much cooler.

consider the cost of maintenance, repairs and replacement for when roofing products fade, rust, crack, curl, rot, split, discolor or mildew. Roofs that leak can lead to high costs for rot repair, replacement or, even worse, structural damage.

Combine these solar reflective shingles with new 30-watt solar attic fans that can displace approximately 2500 cubic feet per minute of hot air. They’ll keep the attic cool, prevent mold and lower your home’s temperature up to 20 degrees.

Among the most expensive mistakes people make when choosing a roof in Hawai‘i?

Selecting a material that will not withstand the extremes of our tropical climate. All facilities on O‘ahu are up against strong winds, excessive rain, heat, UV exposure and salt air. Fortunately, the newest aluminum roofing systems are unrivalled in durability and are virtually noise-proof, even during heavy rain and hailstorms.

2. Some things never change.

4. Just say no to termites.

Even as prices drop, solar shingles may not be right for every project. Aluminum is still the best material for tropical climates because it’s very strong and resists rust.

Aluminum is also the best choice for keeping a building cool because it quickly dissipates heat. Tests have shown aluminum roofing can reduce cooling costs by up to 50 percent.

3. Remember where you are.

Many building owners and landlords fail to 26

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Two different species are particularly prevalent in Hawai‘i: drywood termites that leave behind sand-like pellets, and ground or Formosan termites easily distinguished by their mud tubes.

Everyone in Hawai‘i has them or will get them when moisture collects inside their building—say, from faulty plumbing or broken roof tiles. A quality metal roof that is properly installed is the best defense and

should last a lifetime. Aluminum withstands many natural elements and is the preferred material to keep termites at bay.

5. Choose wisely.

It’s important to choose a roofer based on qualities you look for in a best friend: reliability, honesty and commitment. The best contractors pay attention to important things that will give your roof a longer life, such as stainless steel nails that won’t rust, top-quality underlayment and customfolded flashings.

Some contractors aren’t compliant with safety regulations. Without appropriate insurance coverage, you can be held personally liable if a roofer is injured.

Unless you have a friend with experience and a proper license, you should choose a professional in case these casual laborers or handymen are injured or leave you with a leaky, damaged building.

With 40 years of experience in the industry, Oceanview Roofing owner Peter Michelmore is a leading roofing contractor specializing in custom homes and commercial roofing.

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ALLANA BUICK & BERS Allana Buick & Bers, Inc. (ABBAE) specializes in making building perform better and reducing risk in construction. ABBAE is dedicated to providing comprehensive and innovative solutions with award winning expertise in building envelope design, architectural engineering, energy consulting, and construction management. ABBAE is customer-focused, providing expert advice using advanced technologies for time-enduring solutions.

that long lasting buildings work hand and glove along with energy efficient buildings to achieve sustainability. Longevity of buildings is often dependent on decay and damage from sun, rain, wind and weatherization. The building exteriors take the brunt of the damage from weatherization and increasing the energy efficiency and durability of the exterior envelope is the key to sustainable buildings.

Sustainable and durable buildings with low operating costs have long been integral to Allana Buick & Bers’ core values. These beliefs were part of our mission long before it became an industry trend. We strive to reduce the construction community’s carbon footprint and environmental impact.

ABBAE provides expert building envelope, roofing and waterproofing, architectural, energy consultation and construction phase services based on real world experience gained from our building forensic background.

We design building components to last longer, provide alternative energy solutions and decrease building operating costs by reducing the maintenance cycle and energy usage. Poor choice of exterior building materials and subpar construction practices lead to premature building failures and increase building ownership and operational cost, energy consumption, disposal and landfill volume, in addition to leaving a larger carbon footprint. Long lasting, durable buildings require fewer repairs, consuming fewer resources in the process. We’ve repeatedly proven that integrating sustainable solutions in new construction and building repairs increases longevity, benefits the environment and ultimately improves our clients’ financial bottom line.

For over 30 years, ABBAE has established itself as a premier Architectural-Engineering firm specializing in the building envelope field for new construction, remedial repair, and building rehabilitation projects.

Some of the highest risk elements in construction are exterior facades, roofing and waterproofing, while energy consumption is the highest operational expense for most buildings. ABBAE believes

INNOVATIVE DESIGN

MCYIA Interior Architecture and Design MCYIA is an award-winning interior architecture and interior design firm founded by Chuen Yee. Yee’s design style is guided by a belief that the quality of our surroundings—where we eat, sleep, work or play—has a direct influence on the quality of our lives. By maximizing air and light and designing a home or space from the inside out as much as from the outside in, the result is a built environment that feels good and, as a result, improves health and wellbeing.

MCYIA’s interior designers have extensive experience in the design and construction of a wide range of projects but have specialized knowledge in residential homes, condominiums, hotels and restaurants. Our design team listens carefully to understand project objectives and goals in order to successfully create an environment that is attractive, unique, stylish, comfortable, functional and sustainable. Equally important is our commitment to partnering with owners to achieve design excellence and exceed expectations while completing each project on schedule and within budget. As an innovative design firm, we provide artistic computer renderings to help owners visualize their design and make decisions.

Over the past 10 years, the firm has grown to be consistently recognized as one of the top interior design firms in Hawai‘i in terms of design awards.

The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Hawai‘i Chapter has honored MCYIA’s designers with 16 Design Excellence Awards, including three Grand Overall Awards for a luxury Honolulu private residence, Chef Chai at Pacifica Honolulu and the Courtyard by Marriott Oahu North Shore.

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HOW CAN I TIP THE LANDSCAPING SUCCESS ODDS IN MY FAVOR? Choose your plants wisely. Soil quality, hours of sunlight in the area, watering needs, plant size at maturity, growth rate and plant management should all be taken into consideration. Group plants with similar needs together, leaving enough space for them to grow and mature until they need further management.

At least a dozen soil nutrients, from nitrogen to iron, are necessary for strong plant growth. Organic material such as compost plays a key role in helping plants absorb these nutrients. Nutrients cling to organic matter, allowing them to be absorbed by nearby roots. Use mulch as a topdress and fertilize only as needed. More is not better!

Be vigilant about dealing with pests. Know your plants and what pests they may be susceptible to. When you observe pests or damage from pests, identify the culprit and find a solution. I use natural ingredients for pest control, such as Hawaiian chili peppers, neem oil and dish soap for easy to make garden sprays.

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ENERGY

TRANSPORTATION // SOLAR

The road to an EV-friendly Hawai‘i Short commutes, a temperate climate and high gas prices make the islands an ideal early launch market for eco-friendly electric vehicles and a prime test bed for new EV policies. In 2011, Hawai‘i had the highest per-capita pre-order of the debut Nissan Leaf out of seven U.S. rollout markets. Hawai‘i was the first state to get the North American version of Mitsubishi’s iCar, the Toyota Prius Plugin Hybrid and the Ford Focus EV. Hawai‘i state legislators also passed the country’s very first law requiring EV charging stations in public parking lots. At eight EVs per charger on O‘ahu and five per port on Maui, Hawai‘i currently holds the second spot for number of EVs and charging stations per capita.

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Photo: Blue Planet Foundation

espite the seemingly steady pace toward clean transportation, Hawai‘i’s transition to EVs is sluggish at best.

In October 2016, there were 4,750 registered EVs in the state—less than half of one percent of all registered vehicles.

Without a strong, supportive grid network, installing charging stations can be costly and complex, but the good news is that our islands are brimming with potential.

The biggest perk of EV ownership is obvious—the chance to contribute to a more fossil-fuel-free environment—but if zero petroleum consumption and low vehicle maintenance costs aren’t reason enough to go electric, EV owners in Hawai‘i also enjoy federal tax credits of up to $7,500, zipper lane access and free parking at metered stalls, state and county parking lots and local airports. The upfront investment is typically more than a comparable combustion-engine car since the lithium-ion battery makes up about a third of its total cost, but EV buyers will soon get more for their money. Secondgeneration 2017 models promise faster charging and big range improvements— nearly double or triple the current standard of 80 to 100 miles per charge—and hightech charging stations are being engineered to enhance affordability and efficiency. To ready our landscape, lawmakers, state energy groups, nonprofits and technology companies are working to make electric vehicles a nobrainer for Hawai‘i commuters.

BY LINDSEY KESEL

Honolulu-based renewable energy nonprofit Blue Planet Foundation estimates that 5,000 EVs will be on Hawai‘i roads by the start of 2017 and are taking steps to ensure the state is prepared. “We introduced a bill this past session that would have created essentially a 100 percent clean energy target for ground transportation,” says Blue Planet’s Clean Transportation Director Shem Lawlor.

“It failed to pass, but we are re-introducing similar legislation for 2017.”

Blue Planet has partnered with local dealerships to host EV ride-and-drive events and united stakeholders like Hawaiian Electric Company, the Hawaii State Energy Office and Ulupono Initiative on a highlevel vision, policy and action plan that GREENMAGAZINE HAWAII.COM

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Photo: Blue Planet Foundation Photo: Serena Xu

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IT

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The Hawai‘i State Energy Office is a one-stop shop for EV info, with a directory of EV vendors, industry professionals, charging station networks, costs and other resources. electricvehicle.hawaii.gov

promotes electrified transportation in the islands. As the organization reported in its 2016 Clean Energy Report Card, Hawai‘i drivers burn through half a billion gallons of fuel per year, which produces over five million tons of climate-changing carbon dioxide. According to Executive Director Jeff Mikulina, transportation accounts for almost two-thirds of the state’s fossil fuel demand, so there’s a huge opportunity to drop those numbers by shifting Hawai‘i’s most popular ride from the gas-guzzling Toyota Tacoma to zero-emission vehicles.

“The biggest obstacles to EVs here are lack of education and easy access to charging,” 34

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Lawlor says. “We need to develop programs that help condos and apartments with charging infrastructure costs and also increase the amount of workplace and public charging stations to supplement athome charging.”

The Hawaii State Energy Office is working with various groups to break down the barriers to adoption of clean energy technologies. In 2013, it partnered with the Hawai‘i Information Consortium and the nonprofit Honolulu Clean Cities Coalition program to create EV Stations Hawaii, a free mobile application that helps drivers locate EV charging stations across the state. Margaret Larson, an energy analyst at the Hawaii State Energy Office, feels Hawai‘i’s progress over the past decade is encouraging, but stresses that electric transportation could use more comprehensive support. “We used to do ceremonial ribbon cutting when a new charger was installed, but now it’s a regular thing to see Level 2 charging stations pop up,” she says. “I’ve seen our EV community continue to grow. Education is up and

even the White House calls to see how we’re doing, but Hawai‘i needs more EV champions.”

Hawai‘i State Senator Mike Gabbard is an advocate for making the switch to electric vehicles and has driven a Nissan Leaf since 2011. “It’s been awesome passing those gas stations and not having to worry about gas prices,” he says. Gabbard was involved in the adoption of Act 89 in 2012, a law that made it mandatory for public parking lots with one hundred spaces or more to designate at least one stall as an EV charging station. He also authored Act 64, which created a working group to assess EV charging system delays at multi-unit communities and is currently drafting legislation to help enforce these two EV regulations.

Hawai‘i is swimming in EV technology and pilot projects since utilities that operate on smaller, independent grids face unique challenges in terms of grid stability and reliability. Ongoing projects include Volta’s EV charging networks on O‘ahu and Maui, which provide free charging at high-visibility locations. By leveraging advertising dollars, Volta is able to donate 100 percent of installation, service and maintenance costs to host sites.

Founder and CEO Scott Mercer launched the company’s first stations at Pearlridge Mall in February 2012 and is working

Opposite page: Blue Planet Foundation has

Photo: Office of Senator Mike Gabbard

partnered with local dealerships to host EV rideand-drive events; Local tech startup Freewire Technologies is developing a mobile charger called the Mobi Charger. This page: Senator Mike Gabbard is an EV driver and leading the legislative charge toward an EV-friendly Hawai‘i.

on expansion plans for neighbor islands and the mainland. “Over the next several decades, we will see a complete turnover of our energy-focused infrastructure— everything from the light bulb to the automobile to our power grid is being fully-reinvented,” Mercer says. “For the average person, switching to electric makes sense when it’s cheaper, better and cooler than gasoline. We want iconic electric cars to excite people about the technology and iconic stations to give them the safety net that encourages them to switch.”

The EV charging management company Greenlots is also spearheading an intelligent charging infrastructure in partnership with Hawaiian Electric. The company is testing fast-charging stations in areas not supported by the existing grid, with the goal of managing energy loads more reliably as the industry grows. Greenlots’ smart charging platform leverages vehicle-grid integration technology to enhance the utility’s EV fast charger at Kapolei Commons shopping mall. With a built-in energy storage system, the charger taps electricity from the grid when power is abundant and switches to battery power during times of peak use.

Because the system is open source, it can be used with fast chargers built by different companies.

Meanwhile, the multimillion-dollar smart-grid demonstration project Jumpsmart Maui has been gathering and evaluating data from volunteer Nissan Leaf owners and residents in Kihei, Maui, as part of the 2010 Hawai‘i-Okinawa

Partnership on Clean and Efficient Energy Development and Deployment.

Five Level 2 DC Fast Chargers have been installed, supported by an advanced EV power conditioning system that delivers a quick charge and acts as a battery storage device to supply energy for households and businesses. The project’s findings will be applied to the larger grids on each island and eventually scaled nationally and globally.

Another innovative EV project is from local startup Freewire Technologies. The company’s game-changing mobile charging concept sidesteps the need for costly drilling and wiring by bringing the charge right to the vehicle. Using robotics and a proprietary energy management system with repurposed lithium-ion batteries that cost just one-sixth the price of new battery packs, the Mobi Charger draws electricity from the grid during off-peak hours and charges EVs on demand during the day.

Freewire is working with Hawaiian Electric Company to deploy Mobi Chargers at Hawai‘i airports and collaborating with businesses that use EV fleets or employ workers who drive EVs. As Hawai‘i focuses on developing and implementing best practices for electric vehicles, new technologies coupled with multifaceted infrastructure improvements can make clean transportation a key driver in achieving 100 percent renewable energy in Hawai‘i by 2045. To that end, the Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative is planning to accelerate deployment of local EV

fleets as part of its specific aim to reduce petroleum for ground transportation by 70 percent (or 385 million gallons per year) by 2030. A number of businesses are jumping on the cause, including travel and tour company JTB Hawaii, which recently announced a plan to convert its fleet of buses to zero-emission vehicles. In 2011, Enterprise was the first car rental company in the state to add EVs, and several others have followed suit with special rates to encourage residents to try electric. Hotel brands like Marriott, Sheraton, Westin and Four Seasons have installed charging stations at select Hawai‘i properties so guests can rent EVs. Four Seasons now offers the Tesla Model S, a full-size luxury liftback with a range of 265 miles, as a shuttle option.

Fast-tracking Hawai‘i into a strong EV community depends on our ability to make driving electric ultra-convenient through significant upgrades to our infrastructure—like installing fast-charging stations statewide, motivating condos and multi-unit dwellings to build chargers into their budgets and encouraging employers to offer workplace charging. Adding a state incentive on par with Colorado’s tax credit of up to $6,000 and other proEV legislation could also help convince commuters to go electric. Once island drivers are confident in the EV price point, driving range and charging station availability, electric will be an easy choice— especially if EVs actually trump gas in terms of affordability. “If you’re deciding between a car that runs clean and gets 200-plus miles on a charge that you can fuel at home with solar panels or in public for free, why would you buy the gas car?” Mercer says.

“That’s the tipping point, and it’s coming faster than most people think.”

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W

| SOLAR |

SELF-SUPPLY FOR

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE Net metering brought Hawai‘i to the forefront of residential solar—now self-supply PV systems and advances in energy storage are creating a sustainable, long-term solution for homeowners seeking energy independence

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hen the Hawai‘i State Public Utilities Commission discontinued the solar energy export programs known as Net Energy Metering and Customer Grid-Supply, a cloudy picture of Hawai‘i’s solar energy future emerged. Yet here we are one year after the end of net metering and several months after hitting grid-supply limits, and rooftop solar remains the shining star in Hawai‘i’s action plan to achieve 100 percent renewables by 2045.

Hawai‘i has more operational rooftop PV systems per customer than any other state in the country, with nearly one in five homes on O‘ahu currently producing its own energy and one-third of the island’s singlefamily residences approved for solar installation by Hawaiian Electric Company. Though net metering and grid-supply helped solar establish a strong foothold in the islands, they lacked one critical quality—sustainability.

The state’s new grid-connection program, Customer SelfSupply, is the Public Utilities Commission’s strategy for sustaining the dynamic, rapidly growing solar landscape that has emerged in Hawai‘i.

Net Energy Metering (NEM) is a two-way connection program that allows homes with solar panels to generate their own electricity and send excess energy back to the grid. When a home’s PV system produces more energy than needed, the meter actually spins backwards and reduces its monthly utility bill, crediting homeowners for the surplus.

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Photos: Revolusun Smart Home

The program was a hit with consumers but controversial from the get-go. Utilities across the country criticized net metering for placing too much stress on the grid, especially in the early evening hours when electricity usage is at its highest.

Utilities also complained that the energy buy-back rates were too high considering the comprehensive costs of operating a grid.

In October of 2015, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) ruled to close the program to new applicants, and Hawai‘i became the first state to terminate net metering. Critics speculated that the end of NEM meant the end of rooftop solar altogether. Some solar companies accused the PUC of being hasty, insisting that ample space remained on the grid to keep the program alive. But what many failed to realize was that regulators only intended net metering to serve as a catalyst to get

SELF SUPPLY PV

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people on board with solar, not a long-term solution, especially since our isolated island grids were designed for power to flow in one direction, not two.

Delmond Won, executive officer for the PUC, says the net metering caps were absolutely necessary to protect the integrity of the grid. “If the grid is not able to react due to unstable frequency or voltage, the system could experience brownouts or blackouts,” Won says. “At the neighborhood level, high voltages or overloaded equipment could cause damage. At the overall system level, too much energy can cause imbalances in large power plants, forcing them to shut offline, which, if not controlled, could lead to an island-wide blackout.”

According to Won, the PUC is required by law to ensure that Hawai‘i’s renewable energy resources come from a diversified

Tesla Powerwall HECO has been working with companies like RevoluSun, SolarCity, Sunrun and Vivint Solar to develop standard technical specifications that will qualify self-supply systems for expedited approval and potentially faster installation.

Dolla dolla bill: Many assume that self-supply PV systems are larger and more expensive than their predecessors, but solar systems can be sized to offset nearly 100 percent of their cost. A self-supply system will typically pay for itself in seven to eight years.

portfolio. Leaving free space on the grid is critical not only for safety reasons, but also to accommodate community-based energy alternatives for customers who are unable to install home solar systems. “While going off the grid is always an option, a robust, cost-effective, flexible grid is an essential part of the economy and modern society, and homeowners should consider the risks carefully before taking that step,” Won says.

Net metering did a stellar job of recruiting solar energy customers by crediting them the full retail value of the surplus electricity they produced—an average of 27 to 30 cents per kilowatt-hour on O‘ahu. With record-breaking solar adoption numbers, Hawai‘i became somewhat of a solar pioneer as upwards of 60,000 systems were successfully installed under net metering across the islands. But the PUC, Hawaiian Electric Companies and other solar industry stakeholders were forced to look ahead for a next-generation connection option that could handle increasing levels of distributed energy and other renewables.

Two new tariffs were announced: the Customer GridSupply Program, a transitional billing option nearly identical to NEM but with built-in caps and substantially lower credit rates (15 cents per kllowatt-hour on O‘ahu), and the Customer Self-Supply Program, a non-export program that lets customers generate energy for personal use and store the excess energy in batteries. As with net metering, grid supply was a bridge to help solar-powered homes transition from NEM to the more sustainable self-supply system. Maui and Hawai‘i Island maxed out the PUC’s five-megawatt grid-supply caps in July 2016, and O‘ahu reached its 25-megawatt limit in September 2016.

Self-supply affords several advantages that make solar a smart move for residential energy customers. PV installation under self-supply is much simpler thanks to a streamlined gridconnection process, and approvals typically take weeks instead of years. Since there is no power export, grid-saturation issues are less likely to occur with self-supply. The program may even afford grid support during emergencies and serve to counteract

voltage problems on the distribution system.

Though the shift away from energy-export programs has created some stagnation in new solar adopters, the lull is temporary, says Dave Gorman, director of sales and business development for local solar provider RevoluSun. “It’s not uncommon to see solar installation numbers drop following PV program and policy changes,” Gorman says. “Confusion and misinformation is followed by re-education and understanding.

And now we are starting to see a business uptick as clients become more familiar with the benefits of self-supply, like the expedited PV-system approval process and emergency backup

Lots of self-supply homes: Volts: Net metering caps were necessary to protect the integrity of the grid. Leaving free space on the grid is critical not only for safety reasons, but also to accommodate community-based energy alternatives for customers who are unable to install home solar systems.

The typical energy storage system costs between $10,000 to $15,000, of which homeowners can recover about 30 percent in tax credits. As adoption of energy-storage systems grows, manufacturers should be able to increase efficiency and scale up inventory production to offer a lower price point.

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“Solar is not dead, in fact, quite the opposite—it’s just done differently now.

We are stronger together than we are apart, and self-supply retains that connectivity."

—Richard Wallsgrove, Blue Planet Foundation

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for the home’s essential loads. The solar industry is really just getting started.”

To ensure the safety and success of the program, the PUC is requiring Hawai‘i utilities to offer Time-ofUse (TOU) rates, adhere to advanced technical specifications and integrate demand-response programs. The twoyear opt-in TOU pilot program allows up to 5,000 residential customers to utilize a variable rate structure in order to shift energy usage away from times of peak demand. On O‘ahu, TOU participants pay 14.9 cents per kilowatthour during midday (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), 37.3 cents during on-peak hours (5 p.m. to 10 p.m.) and 23.7 cents during offpeak hours (10 p.m. to 9 a.m.). Perhaps one of the best features of self-supply is its inclusiveness; the program has no cap, so neighborhoods once shut out of net metering and grid-supply are now eligible for solar PV through self-supply.

Many people assume that selfsupply PV systems are larger and more expensive than their predecessors, but solar systems can be sized to offset nearly 100 percent of their cost. A self-supply system will typically pay for itself in seven to eight years, and homeowners can save money immediately on their electric bill with little to no money out of pocket other than Hawaiian Electric’s minimum $25 charge. The new TOU program gives customers the option to reduce the size of their PV system and buy power from the utility during the day at reduced rates, saving their solar-generated and stored energy to offset their more expensive evening and overnight energy use. “Minimizing energy consumption has always been more economical than increasing energy production,” Gorman says. “With the self-supply program and the requirement of energy storage as part of a PV system, this is truer than ever.”

Gorman often asks homeowners to consider the opportunity costs of waiting for cheaper, better storage options, since delaying solar installation means continuing to pay for electricity. “The most important thing for homeowners to

understand is that the financed monthly cost of PV-plus-storage is still less than the monthly electric bill they are paying,” Gorman explains.

While a typical PV-only system averages around $33,000, federal and state tax incentives may reduce the cost by as much as 50 percent.

The typical energy storage system costs between $10,000 to $15,000, of which homeowners can recover about 30 percent in tax credits. As adoption of energy-storage systems grows, manufacturers should be able to increase efficiency and scale up inventory production to offer a lower price point.

The cost of solar-storage batteries has already dropped at a rate of about 20 percent per year, and Hawaiian Electric expects storage costs to dip 50 percent or more over the next decade and a half. In the meantime, self-supply homeowners can maximize the performance and affordability of their PV system by performing a whole-home energy analysis and a highly energy-conscious environment in the home. Switching to CFL or LED bulbs, swapping out power-hogging appliances for Energy Star models, installing whole-house fans to reduce air-conditioner use and replacing traditional water heaters with solar models are just a few of the ways you can make your home leaner and meaner. Many self-supply PV systems now integrate consumption-monitoring technology to help homeowners optimize energy use.

From batteries to smart meters, across-the-board technology improvements are making self-supply solar more accessible and affordable to island residents. Storage options are becoming more versatile and userfriendly; Tesla’s lithium-ion Powerwall battery holds more energy in a smaller amount of space, can be stored indoors or outdoors and includes safety features like an internal cooling mechanism.

On the utility side, Hawaiian Electric is testing new smart-grid technology that will help balance the grid and accommodate more renewables by

improving flexibility and reliability.

Smart-grid upgrades include remote outage-troubleshooting technology, smart meters that send key energy data back to the utility and wireless transmission of home energy use data from the utility back to the customer.

The PUC is currently reviewing a five-year plan to install smart meters in homes in O‘ahu, Maui County and Hawai‘i Island to help residents manage their energy usage more proactively for the benefit of communities at large.

“Generating electricity, storing it and using the energy in the home represents incredible progress from even just a decade ago,” says Richard Wallsgrove, policy director for Blue Planet Foundation, a local nonprofit working to clear the path to a clean energy future. Though he feels net metering may have been abandoned prematurely, Wallsgrove welcomes a shift to a smarter energy program that keeps customers engaged and believes the PUC-approved TOU rates are a step in the right direction.

“Solar is not dead,” Wallsgrove says.

“In fact, quite the opposite—it’s just done differently now. We are stronger together than we are apart, and selfsupply retains that connectivity.” For Hawai‘i residents who want to go solar but are concerned about the upfront investment of a self-supply PV system, Wallsgrove points out the inherent economic benefit of the tariff’s fixed price compared to the fluctuating cost of fossil fuels and encourages homeowners to consider the damaging effects of importing oil. “We created a successful solar industry here,” Wallsgrove says. “If we support it, rooftop solar will lead the way to 100 percent renewable energy.

We should all be taking a hard look at self-supply and keep an open mind about future programs. As part of a new energy paradigm that opens up a new world of energy storage, Hawai‘i‘s success with self-supply could change our relationship with energy forever.”

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NATURE

ENDEMIC // FAUNA

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Photos: NOAA and Richard Pyle/Bishop Museum

| ENDEMIC |

I

n response to more than a million letters and petition signatures and support from more than 8,000 Hawai‘i residents, Governor Ige, 1,500 scientists and hundreds of smallscale fishermen across the state, President Barack Obama announced on August 26 that he will expand the existing Papahänaumokuäkea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) by 442,781 square miles, creating the largest protected area in the world.

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Photo: David Liittschwager and Susan Middleton

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At 582,578 square miles—nearly four times the size of California—the newly expanded monument hosts some of the planet’s most intact and extensive coral reefs, which serve as the backbone of an ecosystem that supports the world’s largest repository of seabirds and the highest density of apex predators. The vision for the monument is to protect and perpetuate ecosystem health and the diversity and Native Hawaiian cultural significance of the reserve area. Stewards of the monument carry out seamless integrated management to ensure ecological integrity and achieve strong, longterm protection and perpetuation of NWHI ecosystems, Native Hawaiian culture and heritage resources for current and future generations.

The best available science indicates that expanding the PMNM strengthens an ecosystem that sustains tuna, swordfish, sharks, seabirds, sea turtles and Hawaiian monk seals. This strengthening, in turn, supports more productive fisheries outside the PMNM and provides a vigorous carbon sink to combat climate change.

Protecting this region more thoroughly also preserves undiscovered biodiversity for future discoveries and maintains a reservoir of genetic diversity that will allow marine species the greatest possible chance of adapting to environmental change. Strengthening the ecosystem and supporting the region’s biodiversity produces more productive fisheries and is our best hope to combat and for resilience against the effects of climate change. The expanded region also contains significant bio-cultural resources and archeological sites.

First established as a bird reservation by President Teddy Roosevelt in 1909, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands were converted into a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary and then a coral reef ecosystem reserve at various points during the 20th century.

George W. Bush went on to designate the area a national monument under the Antiquities Act in 2006 based the area’s wealth of historical sites and scientific objects, which afforded immediate and more resilient protection than establishing it as a national marine sanctuary, a process that former President Bill Clinton initiated while he was in office.

The adult corals that sustain and grow the reefs in the PMNM are concentrated within the current boundaries of the PMNM, but research taking place today strongly suggests that as juveniles, they spend much of their time beyond those boundaries but within the expansion area. Expanding the monument thus protects both the corals and the marquee species they support.

Expanding the PMNM also protects biodiversity, including undiscovered species and largely undocumented ecosystems around sea mounts, ridges and the deep ocean floor. The genetic variation present in large populations of marine species holds the single best hope for adaptation and resilience against ocean warming and acidification. Preserving this genetic diversity depends on conservation, and scientists have established that the larger the scale of a marine protected area, the greater its conservation effect.

The NWHI have one of the world’s highest concentrations of unique species not found anywhere else on the globe. The prevalence of these unique species provide a further warehouse of genetic diversity that can support resilience and adaptation to climate change

Photo: Brian Skerry for National Geographic

Scientists from the Bishop Museum, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Association for Marine Exploration gave a new species of coral-reef fish the formal scientific name Tosanoides obama in honor of President Barack Obama. The fish, which lives exclusively within Papahaˉnaumokuaˉkea Marine National Monument, was discovered during a June 2016 NOAA expedition to the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

only in the Hawaiian Islands.

“On some of the deep reefs we surveyed, 100 percent of the fishes we recorded were endemic, meaning that they are all unique to the Hawaiian archipelago,” says Randall Kosaki Ph.D., NOAA’s deputy

Photo: David Liittschwager and Susan Middleton

throughout the Pacific and, potentially, the world. The expansion directly combats climate change in the same way that intact forests sequester carbon—healthy ocean ecosystems provide a vigorous carbon sink that lowers the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Scientists returned from a 28-day research expedition last September aboard NOAA Ship Hi‘ialakai exploring the deep coral reefs within Papahänaumokuäkea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. During the trip, scientists recorded numerous species of marine life never before seen, include ing a possible new species of seahorse, and a sea star not previously found in Hawai‘i. The research expedition found the highest known rates of unique marine species.

Using advanced diving technology to survey reefs at depths up to 300 feet, much deeper than conventional scuba gear allows, scientists were able to observe rarely seen ecosystems. Fish surveys at these depths around the northernmost atolls revealed an extremely high abundance of species found

open-ocean seamounts in the monument, which were first mapped using high resolution multibeam sonar in 2014 and 2015. These undersea mountains rise from the floor of the ocean in 14,000 feet of water and summit within 200 to 300 feet of the surface.

Discoveries of rare and unique species of marine life remind us why Papahänaumokuäkea is so special and why we need to continue exploring, managing and protecting it,” says Athline Clark, NOAA superintendent of Papahänaumokuäkea Marine National Monument.

superintendent of Papahänaumokuäkea Marine National Monument and chief scientist of the expedition. “This is the highest level of endemism recorded from any marine ecosystem on Earth.”

The team was the first to dive on several GREENMAGAZINE HAWAII.COM

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Photos: Hawai‘i Wildlife Foundation

| FAUNA |

WARRIORS The Hawai'i Wildlife Center works to save endagered native wildlife

By Corinna Wong

H

awai‘i has more endangered species per square mile than any other region in the world. Many of those endangered species are native birds. Hawai‘i Island in particular has the largest population of endemic and indigenous avian species in the state. “Many residents don’t realize how many species of plants and animals around them were brought to our islands,” says Rae Okawa, development coordinator at the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center, Hawai‘i’s only state-of-theart wildlife response, rehabilitation, research and education organization. Founded in 2012

by Hawai’i native and wildlife conservation enthusiast Linda Elliot, the nonprofit Hawai‘i Wildlife Center is committed to protecting, conserving and aiding in the rehabilitation of Hawai‘i’s native wildlife.

Located in Kapa‘au on the Big Island, the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center was established to meet the growing need for wildlife emergency response facilities for Hawai‘i’s 70-plus species and subspecies of native birds, 90 percent of which are federally threatened, endangered or of high conservation concern. The center also takes in Hawai‘i’s only terrestrial native mammal, the Hawaiian hoary bat. The Hawai‘i Wildlife Center receives about 50 intensive hospital cases and assists with more than 200 wildlife help calls throughout the state each year.

The 4,500-square-foot treatment facility includes rooms for intake, isolation, holding, and washing and drying. There is also a laboratory and a recovery yard with conditioning aviaries.

Treatments include medical care, development of an individualized treatment program, quarantine, feeding and decontamination.

After initial treatment, the animals are rehabilitated through conditioning, exercise, behavior monitoring and enhancement before they’re released back from where they came. “Cases are extremely varied and can range from two or three days to months,” Okawa says. “Injuries like fractures require longer stays. Orphaned chicks are usually with us for at least a month or two, sometimes longer, until they’re ready to be on their own.”

In the case of animals affected by oil spills, natural disasters

or disease outbreaks, the number of wildlife affected can escalate into the hundreds—and possibly even thousands—for a single event. Wildlife center staff prepare for the inevitable by routinely practicing emergency response services like disease and naturalcontaminant identification and first-responder training.

In addition to its recovery and response services, the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center also conducts lab and field research and administers volunteer consultation and training courses. Specialized training is offered to agencies, organizations and companies that encounter wildlife and may need to act as first responders.

Another component of the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center is its public outreach and education programs, which provide instruction on wildlife rescue, local ecosystems, Hawai‘i’s native species and native Hawaiian cultural and spiritual connections to wildlife and the environment. “The best part about my job is getting people excited about native wildlife,” Okawa says. “I’ve seen students who have previously disliked science, having only known it through textbooks, develop an intense fascination of avian anatomy and the natural world. I’ve also seen parents, who were unaware of the many native species in our islands, develop an eagerness to explore them with their children.”

The center’s forthcoming Ho‘opälama Science and Discovery

Left: This ‘io, or Hawaiian hawk, earned the nickname “Hawai‘i’s Warrior Princess” among the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center staff for surviving a bullet wound near Volcano Village. The injury eventually healed, but the ‘io was in no condition to return to the wild and was given a permanent home at the Honolulu Zoo in April 2015.

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Center will allow visitors to learn more about native Hawaiian wildlife and provide critical science-based learning opportunities for students and teachers interested in increasing engagement in the classroom. Channeling ho‘opälama, the Hawaiian word for “to cherish” or “to save,” the discovery center will feature exhibits that empower students to cherish Hawai‘i’s unique native wildlife and become more engaged in native species conservation. Future exhibits will also incorporate ecology and animal behavior, natural history, scientific technology and problem solving.

The Hawai‘i Wildlife Center does not currently receive state or federal funding, so its entire operational budget comes from generous donors, grantors and partners. “State and federal wildlife agencies support how and when they can, and we do appreciate that,” Okawa says. “We are always working towards a robust 48

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funding program so the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center will be open and ready to respond.” Due to budgetary constraints, the center cannot accommodate native seals, turtles or fish but is looking to add aquatic facilities in the future. The organization is also interested in establishing a smaller-scale facility on O‘ahu for rescue and stabilization to streamline the rescue process.

In the meantime, the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center will carry on the important work of native bird species conservation from its headquarters on the Big Island. “Many of our native threatened and endangered species are found nowhere else in the world,” Okawa says. “They are a huge part of what makes our islands so unique.

You can find sun, sand and sea everywhere, but try finding an ‘io in Florida.”

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