Bill > SB9

This bill establishes a Plant-Based Building Materials Working Group to explore the potential for developing innovative, sustainable building materials in Hawaii. The working group will be composed of experts from the University of Hawaii, agriculture, climate change mitigation, and building materials industries, and will be charged with studying how to grow appropriate plants for creating building materials like hempcrete (made from industrial hemp), biocements (produced from blue-green algae), and bamboo-based materials. The group aims to identify strategies for developing these plant-based materials that could potentially create green agricultural jobs, help Hawaii meet its carbon reduction goals, and provide alternatives to traditional, high-emission building materials like timber, steel, and cement. The working group will be required to submit a comprehensive report to the legislature by late 2026, with recommendations and potential legislative proposals, and will be dissolved in June 2027. The bill appropriates funding through the University of Hawaii to support the working group's research and activities, with the initiative set to begin on July 1, 2025. Members of the working group will serve without compensation but will be reimbursed for expenses, and the group will focus on leveraging Hawaii's year-round growing season and natural resources to develop innovative, environmentally friendly building materials.

Education

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=9&year=2026