[MassHistPres] Stretch Energy Code

[Burks, Sarah]

Cambridge did pass the Stretch Energy Code and it will go into effect here on July 1, 2010. The State contacts are: 

Ian Finlayson - Senior Climate Policy Analyst
Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs
ian.finlayson at state.ma.us 

Marc Breslow- Director of Bulidings and Transportation Policy
Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs
marc.breslow at state.ma.us

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eopsmodulechunk&L=3&L0=Home&L1=Public+Safety+Agencies&L2=Massachusetts+Department+of+Public+Safety&sid=Eeops&b=terminalcontent&f=dps_bbrs_build_code_changes_public_hearing&csid=Eeops

The exemptions in the code refer back to the exemptions listed in the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code, 
"Chapter 1 Administration, Part 1-Scope and Application...101.4.2 Historic buildings. Any building or structure that is listed in the State or National Register of Historic Places; designated as a historic property under local or state designation law or survey; certified as a contributing resource with a National Register listed or locally designated historic district; or with an opinion or certification that the property is eligible to be listed on the National or State Registers of Historic Places either individually or as a contributing building to a historic district by the State Historic Preservation Officer or the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places, are exempt from this code."

Though these exemptions are pretty broad, it seems likely that the base energy requirements of the state building code will catch up with the stretch code within a few years.

If your community is considering adopting the stretch code, I'd recommend inviting Ian Finlayson and Mark Breslow to come give a presentation to your study committee. At our informational meetings and hearings, local architects were especially interested in how the ratings and compliance process would work and how they would be involved or not involved in that process.  I think the state is planning training sessions for participating communities and contractors about the requirements of the code.
 

-----Original Message-----
From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu [mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of Dennis De Witt
Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 2:32 PM
To: MHC MHC listserve
Subject: [MassHistPres] Stretch Energy Code

A very enthusiastic green group is pushing for Brookline to adopt the Stretch Energy Code.  It is brand new.  We are told that Newton and Cambridge adopted it at the end of 2009.  It's said to be "somewhat similar to an Energy Star rating for houses, with third-party testing so that residents are sure to get the energy efficiency they're promised when they insulate, improve heating systems, or make other improvements." [windows?] It's also said to be "an important step toward the town's qualifying for new funding that is coming available under the Green Communities Act" -- whatever that might be.

The obvious concern is windows.  Most of our green folks seem to understand that window replacements do not make sense economically -- but sometimes that understanding seems a bit fuzzy.  And they allowed two replacement window vendors -- one with vinyl windows! --  into a recent "green fair" in the H.S. 

Is anyone else facing this?  

What can Cambridge and Newton tell us about it?

One person told me that the accompanying rules were not yet in place so that it could be something of a pig in  a poke.  I don't know if that's true or not.

Dennis De Witt
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