Hawaii becomes the first State to require home energy savings systems.
Solar water heaters typically cost near $5,000 additional housing on your mortgage buyers, but the island's residents will save thousands of dollars over the years in their bills, supporters, he said.
"Owe it to our children and grandchildren the promise of a future of clean and renewable energy", said representative Hermina Morita, President of the Energy Committee of the Chamber. "A warming mandate of solar water in construction of new homes... will result in greater public benefits to all in general".
Solar water heaters reduce the costs of between 30 and 35 per cent electricity residents - up to $150 per month for a family of four on Kauai, said Morita, D-Hanalei-Kapaa. With that kind of savings, its initial cost is usually paid in three to four-and-one-half year.
Opponents of the measure said that unfairly increase the costs for home buyers.
The legislators described a requirement of the Government for the solar water heaters as a way of protecting the environment, reducing Hawaii's heavy dependence on foreign sources of energy and save money.
"There are significant and quantifiable environmental benefits, the benefits of energy security and the economic benefits of development," said Senator Gary Hooser, D-Kauai-Niihau. "This measure reduces the net cost of ownership of your home and will cost nothing in terms of the State budget to implement."
The law was passed unanimously in the House and 23-2 in the Senate.
The draft law also ends current state solar credits tax initiated in 2010 amounting to some $2,500 in savings on the purchase of solar water heaters.
Some lawmakers said that they were not comfortable with a law that takes away the ability of residents to decide for themselves what kind of water heater that you want to buy.
"Our country was founded on the principles of freedom and liberty," said representative Colleen Meyer, R-Laie-Kahaluu. "More and more, these dictates are falling people saying:" do not have another option. You have to do what is politically correct ' "."
