Modern Building on Maui: Codes, Energy, and Mass Timber
When you build on Maui, you are not just choosing finishes and views. You are navigating older codes, unique climate challenges, and a local industry that is still catching up to some of the innovations on the mainland.
That is exactly the space WMC Design Build is working in every day.
As Jordan Haler puts it, “Maui is a little bit of a microcosm… it’s kind of insulated.” His team is using experience from the mainland and abroad to help Maui move forward in a smart and realistic way.
For years, Maui was literally building under an older rulebook.
Jordan shared, “In 2021, we were still on the 2006 building code… we’re on 2018 now, made tremendous strides there, but still, you know, we have room to grow and get even more updated.”
That gap matters for homeowners and families because:
Jordan explained that this lag is part of a bigger pattern on the islands: “There’s just the remoteness of Hawaii itself… we are still adopting principles.”
For homeowners, that means you really want a team that understands both:
WMC is intentionally pulling from both worlds.
Jordan’s career path has included time in Seattle, Portland, the mainland, and even global experience from teammates based in Japan. That variety shapes how WMC designs and builds on Maui.
He said, “With the experiences I’ve had on the mainland, and also with the team that was partially based on the mainland, as well as one of our architects based in Japan, being able to bring that upgraded, more modern approach to things, energy efficiency, better ways to build, it’s pretty cool to be able to do that because I feel like it hasn’t broken through here.”
That “more modern approach” shows up in very practical ways:
As Jordan explained, “We analyze a lot of things throughout the design process… what’s the difference between insulation values, minimum, maximum… what is that value, is it 10,000 dollars, is it 500 dollars, and then making that conscious decision of like, is it worth it.”
This is not theoretical sustainability. It is the kind of math that decides whether a family stays on budget or not.
For many Lahaina families and Maui homeowners in general, every dollar matters.
Jordan and his team are very open about that: “We have energy code so you can get away with lower insulation… but we have actually gone through the process of understanding how much that might save so that we can communicate that when a client is on a really tight budget like our Lahaina families.”
Their approach:
And they pair that with schedule and procurement planning, because time is money on a job site.
Jordan put it simply: “Really one of the biggest killers on the construction site is schedule… costly delays because material didn’t show up or your windows aren’t egress compliant because you didn’t select a manufacturer in design.”
So WMC leans heavily on proactive planning:
“It’s really hard and really expensive to change something once it’s done,” Jordan said. “The best time is before you’ve broken ground.”
Mass timber is one of the most exciting developments in architecture and construction. It is beautiful, sustainable, and it can speed up construction. Jordan has seen this evolution firsthand.
He shared, “When I was in UBC in my undergraduate degree there, I got to see Brock Commons come up. It was, at the time, one of the largest mass timber projects in North America… My window for my dorm was looking at it.”
Later, he worked on mass timber again on the mainland:
“To see where it’s come from, you know, three years ago where I was working on mass timber back then, it’s pretty crazy.”
Now WMC is bringing that knowledge back to Hawaii:
At the same time, Jordan is honest about the limitations:
“Hawaii has its very, very specific challenges with termites and mass timber… we’re not there to be doing as much as what you see on the mainland just because of that and location.”
So instead of forcing a trend, WMC is doing what they always do:
A recurring theme in the conversation with Jordan was Maui’s shortage of qualified architecture and construction professionals.
He said it plainly: “Maui does have a lack of architects here. So there’s a lot of work that can be done.”
He also added, “I think sometimes the best way to describe it is there’s a lack of professionals. We don’t have enough people here and I want to be able to provide for that.”
That shortage shows up in the built environment:
Jordan summed it up like this: “There’s a lot of projects that I look at on Maui specifically and I’m like, man, if only they just spent a little more time on design.”
WMC is trying to close that gap by:
If you are planning a home or rebuild on Maui, these shifts matter to you:
Jordan’s mindset is very simple:
“I don’t like to draw for fun. I want to actually see these projects get built.”
For homeowners, that is exactly who you want in your corner.
Is Maui still using old building codes?
Maui recently moved from the 2006 building code to the 2018 code, and there is still room to grow into newer standards as they are adopted.
Because material lead times, shipping, and code constraints can all cause delays and change orders if they are not coordinated before you break ground.
Can I build a mass timber home on Maui?
Mass timber is possible in specific cases, but termites, climate, and supply constraints mean you need a team that understands both mass timber and local conditions.
WMC is a great example of a firm that is:
On Social Brick, we highlight firms like WMC so homeowners can:
Homeowners: If you are planning a custom home or rebuild on Maui, Social Brick can help you find and compare firms like WMC who understand both modern building methods and local realities.
Architects and design build teams: Join Social Brick to share your expertise!