The Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) recently announced architects and mechanical engineers can now apply for a variance from the Hawaii Revised Statutes law (HRS §196-6.5) online. State law requires all new single-family dwellings in Hawaii to be built with a solar water heating system unless a variance is granted under limited circumstances. Until now, variance requests were submitted through the mail, via e-mail or fax, or hand delivered.

Electronic submission of a variance request allows for convenient filing, payment of the $25 fee via credit card or e-check, and expedited processing, saving time for architects, mechanical engineers and HSEO staff. Status of applications can be checked online, and approved applications can be downloaded directly from the website. Applications can be submitted electronically at swhv.ehawaii.gov.

The Hawaii State Energy Office created the Solar Water Heater Variance service in partnership with Hawaii Information Consortium, the official Internet Portal Manager of eHawaii.gov.

About the Hawaii State Energy Office

HSEO is a division of the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. With the state’s goal to reach 100% renewable energy generation by 2045, HSEO is leading the state’s charge toward clean energy independence. HSEO is committed to developing and deploying high impact solutions that will maximize Hawaii’s renewable energy resources and improve efficiency and transportation standards. Through effective policies and innovative programs, HSEO has positioned Hawaii as a leader in clean energy innovation, which will generate quality jobs, attract investment opportunities and accelerate economic growth. For more information, visit energy.hawaii.gov.

About eHawaii.gov

This service was launched as part of the eHawaii State Portal Program. Pursuant to chapter 27G, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the Portal Program is overseen by the Access Hawaii Committee, which collaborates with provider Hawaii Information Consortium (HIC) along with state and county agencies to continually identify new online services to be added to the portal.

About NIC

Founded in 1992, NIC (NASDAQ: EGOV) is the nation’s leading provider of innovative government solutions and secure payment processing, which help make government more accessible to everyone through technology. The family of NIC companies provides digital government solutions for more than 4,500 federal, state, and local agencies in the United States. Forbes has named NIC as one of the “100 Best Small Companies in America” six times, and the company has been included four times on the Barron’s 400 Index. Additional information is available at www.egov.com.