H.C.R. NO. 139 Summary

• Requests the State Building Code Council to adopt, amend, or update the State Building Code to authorize point access block construction for residential buildings up to six stories

• Point access blocks are compact single-stair buildings with dwellings centered around a stairway and elevator core, offering greater floor plan efficiency and flexibility compared to double-loaded corridor buildings

• Point access block construction provides benefits including better lighting and ventilation, higher proportion of multi-bedroom units, lower construction costs through reduced hallways and stairways, and more flexible floor plans for small urban lots

• Cites international examples from Austria, France, and Germany demonstrating lower fire death rates despite widespread use of point access blocks, and notes modern fire suppression technology like sprinklers reduces risks

• Notes the City and County of Honolulu has already amended its building code to allow point access block construction up to six stories