Acton MA LEED Floor Area Bonus, East Acton Village

Acton LEED Floor Area Bonus in the East Acton Village District

Acton lets projects in the East Acton Village District build more floor area if the building is LEED certified. The bonus is small on its own, but it stacks with Acton's other density options, and Acton is a Specialized Code town, so a high performance design is often needed anyway.

Phius Certified Rater & Verifier CPHC on staff RESNET HERS Rater

How the East Acton Village Bonus Works

In Acton's East Acton Village District, a project certified under LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations can add net floor area up to the equivalent of 0.05 FAR, by special permit from the Select Board (Section 5.10B.2.2.d). Combined with the other options, the lot can reach 0.50 FAR.

Written by Dominic Zammuto, RESNET-certified HERS Rater (#3385643) and Phius Certified Verifier, Multifamily Qualified (Phius ID 124235). Checked against Town of Acton sources in November 2026. Zoning changes often, so confirm with the city or town before you design.

Option (Section 5.10B.2.2)	Added floor area, up to
Base floor area ratio (FAR)	0.20
Transfer of development rights	+0.20 FAR
Historic preservation	+0.10 FAR
Affordable housing	+0.10 FAR
LEED certification (New Construction & Major Renovation)	+0.05 FAR
Maximum with combined options	0.50 FAR

Energy Code in Acton

Acton is a Specialized Code town

Acton has adopted the Specialized (Opt-In) Energy Code. Residential buildings over 12,000 sq ft must use the Passive House path.

New homes

Homes over 4,000 sq ft must be Zero Energy or All-Electric. Smaller homes can use a HERS rating (HERS 42 mixed-fuel or 45 all-electric) or Passive House.

Passive House path

Larger residential buildings in Acton fall under the Specialized Code Passive House path, which we design, rate and verify in house.

Who does what

HEEC does not do LEED. If you go for the LEED bonus, a LEED consultant handles the certification; we handle the energy code, HERS rating, Passive House verification and testing.

See Specialized Code requirements for new homes and HERS ratings.

How We Help in Acton

Check the rules before design is locked

We read the Acton requirement against your plans early and pick the cheapest pathway that passes.

Energy modeling

We model the building early so the HERS or Passive House results and the Specialized Code paperwork are settled before design is locked.

Documents for permits and review

We prepare the energy code paperwork for the building department and the energy numbers your architect or permitting team needs. HEEC does not do LEED; if your project needs LEED, your LEED consultant handles that part.

Testing and verification

We do the inspections, blower door and duct leakage testing and final verification with our own crew as a RESNET HERS Rater and Phius Certified Rater and Verifier (Multifamily Qualified).

More: Net zero and Passive House rules in other Massachusetts cities · Phius Passive House verification · Multifamily HERS, ENERGY STAR and Phius