State Energy Office News Release: Annual Hawai‘i Green Business Awards program honors Hawai‘i businesses and events for green practices

HONOLULU —A total of 14 venues and events were recognized today for undertaking energy efficiency and sustainable business practices that will help their bottom line while advancing Hawai‘i’s clean energy and sustainability goals. 

Gov. David Ige and first lady Dawn Amano-Ige praised the awardees for their commitment to conserving energy and water, reducing waste, and protecting Hawai‘i’s environment. “It is an honor to present these awards that recognize the commitment and hard work done by businesses and organizations to make Hawai‘i more sustainable,” said Ige. “Not only do their achievements keep utility costs down and create a more sustainable environment for them individually as businesses, they also are collectively contributing to Hawai‘i’s clean energy goals.” 

“It is important that we all work together to build a clean and sustainable Hawai‘i, not only for us on this forum, but for future generations. The Hawai‘i Green Business Program is one aspect of this important effort in achieving our goals,” added Amano-Ige. 

The awardees were recognized during the annual HGBP awards ceremony, which was held virtually for the second time due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The ceremony was hosted by the Hawai‘i State Energy Office, the Hawai‘i State Department of Health, and the Honolulu Board of Water Supply. The HGBP, which was created by the Hawai‘i State Energy Office and the Department of Health in 2002, provides technical assistance to businesses, government agencies and nonprofits seeking to operate in a more environmentally and socially responsible manner. 

“As we enter into the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, we remain acutely aware of how vulnerable Hawai‘i is to things like volatile fuel and electricity prices, energy supply disruptions, rising sea levels and threats to our fragile ecosystem,” said Hawai‘i Chief Energy Officer, Scott Glenn. “The Hawai‘i Green Business Program helps address these issues by creating a profitable public-private partnership between business, government and a concerned public.” 

The honorees of this year’s Hawai‘i Green Business Program Awards are: 

• Kings’ Land by Hilton Grand Vacations
• Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort 
• Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort 
• OHANA Waikiki East by Outrigger
• Waikiki Malia by Outrigger
• Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger 
• The Westin Nanea Ocean Villas
• The Volcano House
• Prince Waikiki
• The Hawai‘i Convention Center
• University of Hawaii, Maui College
• Honeywell
• 2021 Sony Open
• 2021 Sentry Tournament of Champions

The businesses and events honored at this year’s HGBP awards ceremony undertook a wide array of green initiatives that included planting native and endemic plants to reduce the need for excessive irrigation, using low-flow faucets and shower heads to reduce water consumption, installing LED lights and solar panels, recycling paper and food scraps, and implementing incentives to encourage employees to commute by bike. 

For more information on the Hawai‘i Green Business Program, visit greenbusiness.hawaii.gov/ 

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About the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office

The Hawaiʻi State Energy Office (HSEO) is an attached agency of the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. The HSEO’s mission is to promote energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean transportation to help achieve a resilient, clean energy, decarbonized economy. Toward this end, the HSEO is developing policies and programs to achieve our energy and climate change goals while identifying strategies that create jobs, lower costs, and improve quality of life in Hawaiʻi. For more information, visit energy.hawaii.gov.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Claudia Rapkoch

Public Affairs Officer

Hawaiʻi State Energy Office

(808) 460-5998

[email protected]