The Somerville office of Home Energy Efficiency Consultants is your local, RESNET-certified HERS rating team for Greater Boston. From 519 Broadway we deliver same-day preliminary HERS reports, blower door and duct leakage testing, REScheck and COMcheck documentation, and full Massachusetts energy-code compliance — backed by more than 15,000 ratings completed across four Massachusetts offices and a 5.0 rating from 135 Google reviews. Whether you are building a single new home, adding an accessory dwelling unit, or delivering a multifamily project, our Somerville-area raters model your plans, test the finished building, and file the paperwork your local inspector requires.
ENERGY STAR Partner · U.S. DOE Efficient New Home Partner · Mass Save-approved · RESNET-certifiedSomerville office details
Address: 519 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02145
Phone: (617) 501-6788
Hours: Monday–Sunday, 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Credentials: RESNET-certified · Mass Save-approved · ENERGY STAR Partner · U.S. DOE Efficient New Home Partner · 15,000+ ratings completed
Massachusetts energy code requirements our Somerville raters verify
New homes and major projects in the Somerville area comply through the HERS (Home Energy Rating System) performance path under the 2025 Massachusetts energy code, section R406. A HERS rating is required for new residential construction, additions over 1,000 sq ft (or greater than 100% of the existing conditioned floor area), and extensive Level 3 alterations over 1,000 sq ft affecting more than 50% of the conditioned floor area. The lower the HERS index, the more efficient the home:
- New home, mixed-fuel (gas heat, hot water or cooking): must reach HERS 42 or lower.
- New home, all-electric: must reach HERS 45 or lower.
- Embodied-carbon materials credit: allows up to HERS 48.
- Accessory dwelling units (ADUs): HERS 52 mixed-fuel, 55 all-electric, or 58 with the embodied-carbon credit.
- Major additions and renovations: tiered HERS targets of roughly 52 to 75 by project scope.
- Air tightness: a blower door test at 3.0 ACH50 or tighter, with duct leakage capped at 4 CFM25 per 100 sq ft when ducts run outside conditioned space.
- Also required in new homes: whole-house mechanical ventilation (ASHRAE 62.2) and EV-ready wiring.
Stretch Code vs. Specialized (Opt-In) Code around Somerville
Massachusetts has three energy-code levels: the base code (the 2021 IECC with state amendments), the Stretch Code, and the Specialized (Opt-In) Code. Most communities around our Somerville office have adopted the Massachusetts Specialized (Opt-In) Energy Code, which layers electrification and pre-wiring requirements on top of the Stretch Code. Somerville and Cambridge adopted it on July 1, 2023, Boston and Arlington on January 1, 2024, and Medford on July 1, 2024. Everett and Malden currently build to the Stretch Code. The Specialized Code goes beyond the Stretch baseline: fossil-fuel homes must be pre-wired for future electrification and add on-site solar where there is significant unshaded roof space, new all-electric homes must use heat pumps for space heating and domestic hot water, fossil-fuel homes over 4,000 sq ft must reach net-zero (HERS 0), and new multifamily buildings over 12,000 sq ft must meet Passive House. We confirm the exact code in force in your town before we model your project.
Communities we serve from Somerville
From our Somerville office we cover the dense, fast-developing inner-north communities of Greater Boston — triple-deckers, accessory dwelling units, and new multifamily near the Orange and Green Lines. Each community’s current energy-code status is shown below:
- Somerville — Specialized (Opt-In) Code since July 1, 2023
- Cambridge — Specialized (Opt-In) Code since July 1, 2023
- Medford — Specialized (Opt-In) Code since July 1, 2024
- Everett — Stretch Code
- Malden — Stretch Code
- Arlington — Specialized (Opt-In) Code since January 1, 2024
- Boston — Specialized (Opt-In) Code since January 1, 2024
- Chelsea — Stretch Code
- Revere — Stretch Code
- Winchester — Specialized (Opt-In) Code since July 1, 2025
- Belmont — Specialized (Opt-In) Code since January 1, 2025
- Watertown — Specialized (Opt-In) Code since July 1, 2023
- Melrose — Specialized (Opt-In) Code since July 1, 2024
- Stoneham — Stretch Code
- Woburn — Stretch Code
We also serve every other city and town in Massachusetts from our four offices — if your community is not listed, call (617) 501-6788.
How the Somerville HERS rating process works
We build an energy model from your architectural plans and return a same-day preliminary HERS score, so you know early whether your design will pass. We perform a pre-drywall (rough) inspection, then blower door and duct leakage testing on the finished building, and file the final HERS certificate with the Somerville building department. Blower door and duct results come back within 24 to 48 hours, and if a home misses its target we provide clear fail-fix guidance on where to improve.
Services at our Somerville office
- HERS Rating — the performance-path energy rating that verifies code compliance for new homes and major projects.
- Blower Door Testing — measured air-tightness to the 3.0 ACH50 Stretch Code limit, with same-day preliminary results.
- Duct Leakage Testing — verification against the 4 CFM25 per 100 sq ft limit.
- REScheck & COMcheck — prescriptive-path documentation ready to upload with your permit application.
- Energy Code Help — Stretch and Specialized Code guidance, plan review, and compliance strategy.
- Insulation & Air-Sealing Guidance — unbiased advice on where R-value and air-sealing dollars move your HERS score most.
2026 Mass Save incentives and the 45L tax credit
A qualifying HERS rating unlocks significant rebates for Somerville-area projects:
- New all-electric single-family homes: $7,500 (Base) to $15,000 (ENERGY STAR NextGen) to $25,000 (Passive House), and up to $40,000 for a four-unit building.
- All-electric renovations and additions: up to $20,000 (Level 1) or $30,000 (Level 2) for a single-family home, scaling to $60,000 for a four-unit; projects that keep fossil fuel earn pay-for-savings up to $10,000.
- New multifamily (5+ units): $1,000 to $3,750 per unit by tier, plus a $5,000 feasibility-study incentive.
- Federal 45L tax credit: up to $5,000 per unit, stackable with Mass Save.
All Mass Save incentives require verification by a Mass Save-approved, RESNET-certified HERS rater — which is exactly what our Somerville team provides.
Why Somerville-area builders and homeowners choose us
Home Energy Efficiency Consultants has completed more than 15,000 ratings across Massachusetts from four offices, holds RESNET certification and ENERGY STAR and U.S. Department of Energy partner status, and carries a 5.0 rating across 135 Google reviews. We turn preliminary HERS reports around the same day, return testing results in 24 to 48 hours, and handle compliance filing directly with your local building department so your project stays on schedule.
Somerville HERS rating FAQ
Do I need a HERS rating in Somerville?
Somerville enforces the Massachusetts Specialized (Opt-In) Energy Code, adopted July 1, 2023. A HERS rating is required for new residential construction, additions over 1,000 sq ft (or greater than 100% of the existing conditioned floor area), and extensive Level 3 alterations over 1,000 sq ft that affect more than 50% of the conditioned floor area.
What HERS score does my Somerville project need?
New mixed-fuel (gas) homes must reach HERS 42 or lower; new all-electric homes must reach HERS 45 or lower, or up to HERS 48 with the embodied-carbon materials credit. Accessory dwelling units range from HERS 52 (gas) to 55 (all-electric) to 58 with the credit, and major additions and renovations use tiered targets of roughly 52 to 75.
How long does a HERS rating take?
We provide same-day preliminary HERS reports from plans, and blower door and duct leakage results within 24 to 48 hours, with fail-fix guidance if a home misses its target before the final certificate is filed with the Somerville building department.
What incentives can I earn near Somerville?
2026 Mass Save all-electric incentives run from $7,500 (Base) to $15,000 (ENERGY STAR NextGen) to $25,000 (Passive House) per new single-family home, up to $40,000 for a four-unit building, and all-electric renovations can earn up to $30,000. These stack with the federal 45L tax credit of up to $5,000 per unit and require verification by a Mass Save-approved, RESNET-certified HERS rater.
What is the difference between the Stretch and Specialized codes around Somerville?
The Stretch Code is the statewide baseline verified by a HERS rating. The Specialized (Opt-In) Code layers additional requirements on top: fossil-fuel homes must be pre-wired for electrification and add on-site solar where roof space allows, new all-electric homes must use heat pumps for heating and hot water, fossil-fuel homes over 4,000 sq ft must reach net-zero, and new multifamily over 12,000 sq ft must meet Passive House. Most communities around our Somerville office have adopted the Massachusetts Specialized (Opt-In) Energy Code, which layers electrification and pre-wiring requirements on top of the Stretch Code. Somerville and Cambridge adopted it on July 1, 2023, Boston and Arlington on January 1, 2024, and Medford on July 1, 2024. Everett and Malden currently build to the Stretch Code.
Request a Somerville quote
Call (617) 501-6788 or request a quote and a Somerville-area HERS rater will help you scope your project, book testing, and file compliance with your local building department.
See why Somerville-area builders and homeowners choose us: read our 135 Google reviews (5.0 stars).
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