REScheck & COMcheck Canton MA - Quick Facts
Local energy code in Canton
- New construction and major renovations in Canton follow the Massachusetts Stretch Energy Code. IECC Climate Zone 5A.
- Massachusetts has three energy-code levels - base (2021 IECC), Stretch, and Specialized (Opt-In) - and Canton is on the Stretch Code.
REScheck & COMcheck in Canton
- REScheck documents the prescriptive residential path for Canton additions, alterations and renovations (from $300); new-construction performance projects use a full HERS energy model instead.
- Commercial projects use COMcheck for the prescriptive path (from $600); larger new commercial buildings need third-party performance certification under the Stretch Code.
- 24-48 hour turnaround - documentation ready to upload with your Canton permit application.
What you can get back: 2026 Mass Save
- All-electric renovations and additions can earn Mass Save incentives up to $20,000 (Level 1) or $30,000 (Level 2) for a single-family home, verified by a RESNET-certified HERS rater.
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REScheck & COMcheck Canton MA
Fast, accurate REScheck and COMcheck energy code compliance reports for residential and commercial projects in Canton, Massachusetts. We prepare the documentation your building department needs to issue a permit — without the cost of a full performance-path energy rating when your project does not require one.
What we deliver
A signed compliance report matched to your plans and ready to upload with your Canton building permit application.
What Is a REScheck and What Is a COMcheck?
Both are free compliance software tools developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to demonstrate that a building meets the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). They document your envelope, and for commercial work your lighting and mechanical systems, so a plan reviewer in Canton can confirm compliance quickly.
What is a COMcheck?
For commercial and four-plus-story residential buildings, COMcheck is required. It documents envelope, lighting, and mechanical compliance against the IECC or ASHRAE Standard 90.1 and produces the certificates a commercial plan reviewer expects.
What is a REScheck?
For homes, REScheck is the go-to. This DOE program checks residential envelopes — detached houses and multifamily up to three stories — and allows insulation and fenestration trade-offs to show prescriptive or component-based IECC compliance.
When Do You Need a REScheck in Canton?
REScheck is the simplest path for smaller residential projects in Canton that do not need a HERS rating. It is typically the right tool for:
- Residential additions of 1,000 sq ft or less that are not more than 100% of the existing home
- Basement and attic conversions that do not change the footprint or roofline
- Renovations and alterations to existing homes that need envelope documentation
- Detached accessory structures with conditioned space, where Canton's building department accepts REScheck
- New homes only in base-code towns; Stretch and Specialized Code towns require a HERS rating or Passive House for new homes
When Do You Need a COMcheck in Canton?
COMcheck is required for commercial and larger projects in Canton. Reach for a COMcheck when your project involves:
- Envelope work on commercial structures requiring IECC or ASHRAE 90.1 compliance
- Medical, dental, and professional office construction
- Commercial buildings — offices, retail, restaurants, warehouses, and mixed-use
- Tenant fit-outs and interior or exterior lighting alterations
- High-rise residential buildings of four stories or more
What We Deliver for Canton Projects
Fast, permit-ready turnaround
We deliver documentation ready to upload with your building permit application, and we answer plan-review questions if the department asks for revisions.
Plans matched to code
We enter your assemblies, fenestration, and (for commercial) lighting and mechanical details exactly as designed, so the report reflects what you are actually building in Canton.
REScheck report
A signed REScheck compliance certificate matched to your plans, the inspection checklist, and the UA trade-off summary showing your insulation R-values and window U-factors meet the residential energy code.
COMcheck report
The COMcheck Envelope, Lighting, and Mechanical Compliance Certificates plus the Plan Review Checklist — the full package a commercial plan reviewer expects for permit submission.
Serving Canton and Norfolk County
Canton sits in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, in IECC climate zone 5A — the cold-climate zone that drives the insulation and air-sealing levels your REScheck or COMcheck must document. We prepare compliance reports for projects throughout Norfolk County, matched to the code edition Canton currently enforces.
What a REScheck or COMcheck Costs in Canton
Transparent starting prices. Final cost depends on project size, number of assemblies, and scope.
- REScheck (residential): starting at $300
- COMcheck (commercial): starting at $600
- Revisions to match plan-review comments are handled promptly
REScheck reports start at $300 and COMcheck reports start at $600 for projects in Canton. Send your plans for an exact quote.
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Which Energy Code Report Does a Canton Project Need?
Canton has adopted the Massachusetts Specialized (Opt-In) Code (225 CMR 22.00 Appendix RC for homes and 225 CMR 23.00 Appendix CC for commercial and multifamily), which the state's adoption list shows taking effect in Canton on January 1, 2027. Until then, projects follow the Stretch Code, in effect in Canton since July 1, 2017. Under the Specialized (Opt-In) Code, new homes must be built to the net-zero-ready Specialized paths, new homes over 4,000 sq ft must use the all-electric or zero-energy path, and new multifamily buildings over 12,000 sq ft must be Passive House certified.
| Your Canton project | What the energy code paperwork usually is |
|---|---|
| New single-family home or low-rise residential building | A HERS rating or Passive House certification, on a Stretch Code path now or a Specialized (Opt-In) Code path for new construction from January 1, 2027. REScheck is not accepted for new homes. |
| Residential addition of 1,000 sq ft or less (and not over 100% of the existing home) | REScheck (REScheck-Web, 2023 Massachusetts Stretch Code) or the prescriptive tables |
| Residential addition over 1,000 sq ft or over 100% of the existing home | A HERS rating of the whole house (HERS 65 or lower mixed-fuel, 70 or lower all-electric) |
| Basement or attic conversion with no change to footprint or roofline | No HERS rating required; REScheck or prescriptive documentation |
| Residential renovation or alteration | Prescriptive alteration rules; REScheck can document the envelope. Large "extensive" alterations over 1,000 sq ft may need a HERS rating. |
| New commercial building up to 20,000 sq ft | COMcheck: Envelope, Lighting and Mechanical certificates plus the Plan Review Inspection Checklist |
| New commercial building over 20,000 sq ft | COMcheck Lighting and Mechanical, with the envelope shown by backstop and thermal-bridge calculations, on a performance path (Targeted Performance/TEDI or ASHRAE 90.1 Appendix G) or Passive House |
| Commercial addition, alteration, or lighting/HVAC change | COMcheck for the altered systems |
| Multifamily building over 12,000 sq ft | Passive House certification (Phius or PHI) |
Based on 225 CMR 22.00 and 23.00 (Massachusetts energy code, 2025 edition). Building departments make the final call, so we confirm the path for your project before we start. Canton is in Norfolk County, served from our Framingham (68 South St) office.
How We Prepare Your Canton REScheck or COMcheck
Send your plans
Email the permit set for your Canton project. We tell you the same day whether you need a REScheck, a COMcheck or a HERS rating.
We model the building
We enter every assembly, window, light fixture and HVAC unit as designed and flag anything that fails before the plan reviewer sees it.
Permit-ready report
You get the signed compliance certificates and checklists, ready to upload with your Canton building permit application.
Plan review support
If the building department asks for changes, we revise the report and answer the reviewer's questions.
REScheck & COMcheck for Canton Permits
Canton's energy code is about to change. The town has been on the Stretch Code since July 1, 2017, and Town Meeting voted in May 2026 to adopt the Specialized (Opt-In) Code. The state's adoption list shows the Specialized (Opt-In) Code taking effect in Canton on January 1, 2027, and local coverage reports that it applies to new construction, not to existing homes or businesses.
What that means for your Canton project
- Additions and alterations: a REScheck remains the right document for a small residential addition or alteration where the prescriptive path is allowed, such as an addition up to 1,000 sq ft that is not more than 100% of the existing home.
- Larger additions and renovations: a whole-house HERS rating of 65 (mixed-fuel) or 70 (all-electric).
- New homes: a HERS rating of 42 (mixed-fuel) or 45 (all-electric). Under the Specialized (Opt-In) Code, a new mixed-fuel home must also be pre-wired for future electrification and, where the site allows, include on-site solar.
- Commercial buildings: COMcheck covers the envelope, lighting and mechanical systems. Commercial buildings over 20,000 sq ft need more than COMcheck, typically an energy model.
Permits go to the Building Department's Building Division at Memorial Hall, 801 Washington Street, and applications for building, electrical, gas and plumbing permits are filed online through ViewPoint Cloud. The town's permit procedures for new homes and commercial buildings ask for an energy audit with the plans. Send us the drawings and we will prepare the matching document.
Our Somerville office at 519 Broadway is HEEC's nearest location to Canton.
If your permit application for a new home will be filed close to January 1, 2027, talk to us early so the HERS rating is planned for the right code.
REScheck & COMcheck Questions for Canton Projects
Do I need a REScheck or a HERS rating in Canton?
For a new home in Canton, you need a HERS rating or Passive House, under both the Stretch Code now in effect and the Specialized (Opt-In) Code that takes effect January 1, 2027. REScheck is used for smaller additions (1,000 sq ft or less and not over 100% of the existing home), basement and attic conversions, and renovations.
When is a COMcheck required in Massachusetts?
A COMcheck documents commercial energy code compliance for new commercial buildings up to 20,000 sq ft (envelope, lighting and mechanical), for lighting and mechanical on larger buildings, and for commercial additions and alterations such as fit-outs, lighting changes and HVAC replacements. Massachusetts commercial code is based on the 2021 IECC with state amendments in 225 CMR 23.00.
What does a COMcheck include?
The COMcheck Envelope Compliance Certificate, the Interior and Exterior Lighting Compliance Certificates, the Mechanical Compliance Certificate, and the Plan Review Inspection Checklist. Massachusetts 225 CMR 23.00 Section C103.2 lists these as the construction-document requirements for buildings up to 20,000 sq ft.
What does a REScheck include?
A REScheck compares your home's envelope (insulation R-values and window U-values) to the code using a total UA trade-off, so stronger performance in one assembly can offset another. The report includes the compliance certificate and inspection checklist. Mandatory items such as air sealing and duct sealing still apply.
What size addition needs a HERS rating instead of REScheck?
In Massachusetts, a residential addition over 1,000 sq ft, or over 100% of the existing conditioned floor area, needs a HERS rating of the whole house (225 CMR 22.00 R502.1.1). Converting an existing basement or attic without changing the footprint or roofline does not.
What information do you need to prepare a REScheck or COMcheck?
Plans with wall, roof and floor sections, insulation types and R-values, the window and door schedule with U-factors and SHGC, and for commercial work the lighting fixture schedule with wattages, lighting controls, and HVAC and water heating equipment schedules.
Which software version is used in Massachusetts?
REScheck-Web with the 2023 Massachusetts Stretch Code option for residential, and COMcheck-Web set to the 2021 IECC (or ASHRAE 90.1-2019) for commercial, matching the code Massachusetts enforces.
How much does a REScheck or COMcheck cost in Canton?
REScheck reports start at $300 and COMcheck reports start at $600. The final price depends on the size of the project and how many assemblies and systems need to be entered. Send your plans for an exact quote.
When does the Specialized Code take effect in Canton?
The state's adoption list shows Canton's Specialized (Opt-In) Code effective January 1, 2027, following the May 2026 Town Meeting vote. Until then, Canton is on the Stretch Code, in effect since July 1, 2017. The change applies to new construction, not existing homes.
How do I file a building permit in Canton?
Canton takes building, electrical, gas and plumbing permit applications online through ViewPoint Cloud. The Building Division is at Memorial Hall, 801 Washington Street, and the town's procedures for new homes and commercial buildings ask for an energy audit with the plans.
Related: HERS rating in Canton · Blower door testing · COMcheck & REScheck reports
Need a REScheck or COMcheck in Canton?
Send us your plans and we will tell you which report you need and get it back to you fast — ready for your Canton permit.
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HERS Ratings Across Canton and Nearby Communities
Home Energy Efficiency Consultants rates new homes, additions, and major renovations throughout Canton — including Canton Center, Ponkapoag, and Springdale. Every Canton project is filed with the Town of Canton Building Department, and we handle the energy model, blower door and duct leakage testing, and the compliance paperwork from start to finish.
We also serve the communities right around Canton, including Norwood, Sharon, Stoughton, Randolph, and Milton. Our Framingham office at 68 South St is the closest of our four Massachusetts locations — see our Framingham office or call (617) 501-6788 to get a Canton rating on the schedule.
Canton Specialized Energy Code — HERS Index Targets
Canton enforces the Massachusetts Specialized (Opt-In) Energy Code. The required HERS score depends on fuel type and project scope — a lower index is stricter.
| Project type | Mixed-fuel | Mixed-fuel + solar | All-electric | All-electric + solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New construction | HERS 42 | 42 | 45 | 45 |
| New construction — embodied-carbon credit | 45 | 45 | 48 | 48 |
| Accessory dwelling unit (ADU) | 52 | 55 | 55 | 58 |
| Major alteration / renovation / change of use | 65 | 70 | 70 | 75 |
A HERS rating is triggered by new construction, additions over 1,000 sq ft (or more than 100% of the existing conditioned area), and Level 3 alterations over 1,000 sq ft affecting more than 50% of the home. New homes must also pass a blower-door test at 3.0 ACH50 and include electrification-ready wiring for heat pumps, EV charging, and solar. We model your Canton project up front so you know the exact target and the fastest path to hit it — call (617) 501-6788.
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