REScheck & COMcheck Cambridge MA - Quick Facts
Local energy code in Cambridge
- As of July 1, 2023, Cambridge enforces the Massachusetts Specialized (Opt-In) Energy Code on top of the Stretch Code baseline - IECC Climate Zone 5A.
- The Opt-In code goes further than the Stretch baseline: new fossil-fuel homes must be pre-wired for electrification and include on-site solar where roof space allows.
- New all-electric homes rely on heat pumps for heat and hot water; large fossil-fuel homes over 4,000 sq ft must hit net-zero (HERS 0), and multifamily over 12,000 sq ft must be Passive House.
- Cambridge also participates in the Massachusetts Municipal Fossil Fuel-Free Building Demonstration Program - new construction and major renovations must be built fossil-fuel-free (all-electric), a step beyond the Specialized Code.
REScheck & COMcheck in Cambridge
- REScheck documents the prescriptive residential path for Cambridge 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 Cambridge permit application.
Mass Save rebates for Cambridge (2026)
- 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.
RESNET-certified · 15,000+ ratings completed · 5.0 stars across 135 Google reviews · (617) 501-6788
REScheck & COMcheck Cambridge MA
Home Energy Efficiency Consultants prepares REScheck (residential) and COMcheck (commercial) compliance documentation for Cambridge projects. When your build does not trigger a full HERS rating, these DOE compliance reports are the fast, affordable path to your permit.
What we deliver
A stamped, signed compliance report matched to your plans and ready to upload with your Cambridge building permit application.
REScheck vs. COMcheck: What’s the Difference?
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 Cambridge can confirm compliance quickly.
What is a COMcheck?
COMcheck is DOE software for commercial buildings and high-rise residential (four stories or more). It checks the building envelope, interior and exterior lighting, and mechanical systems against the IECC or ASHRAE Standard 90.1, and can trade off components across the design.
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.
REScheck Projects in Cambridge
REScheck is the simplest path for smaller residential projects in Cambridge that do not trigger a full performance-path energy rating. It is typically the right tool when your project is:
- New residential construction or an addition under 1,200 square feet that does not require a HERS rating
- Multifamily buildings of three stories or fewer
- Window and insulation upgrades that must be documented for a building permit
- Finished basements, attic conversions, and dormer additions on existing homes
- Projects where insulation and window trade-offs are enough to demonstrate compliance
COMcheck Projects in Cambridge
COMcheck is required for commercial and larger projects in Cambridge. Reach for a COMcheck when your project involves:
- Commercial buildings — offices, retail, restaurants, warehouses, and mixed-use
- Restaurant build-outs and retail white-box improvements
- Envelope work on commercial structures requiring IECC or ASHRAE 90.1 compliance
- Warehouse, industrial, and light-manufacturing conditioned spaces
- New mechanical (HVAC) or service water heating systems in commercial spaces
What We Deliver for Cambridge Projects
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.
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 Cambridge.
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.
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.
Serving Cambridge and Middlesex County
Cambridge sits in Middlesex 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 Middlesex County, matched to the code edition Cambridge currently enforces.
What a REScheck or COMcheck Costs in Cambridge
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 Cambridge. Send your plans for an exact quote.
Trusted by Cambridge Builders & Owners
Google Review
“Best decision I made was hiring Home Energy Efficiency Consultants LLC. Their attention to detail and willingness to answer all my questions made the process stress-free.”
Need a REScheck or COMcheck in Cambridge?
Send us your plans and we will tell you which report you need and get it back to you fast — ready for your Cambridge permit.
Email Energyconsultants01@gmail.com Call 617-501-6788HERS Ratings Across Cambridge and Nearby Communities
Home Energy Efficiency Consultants rates new homes, additions, and major renovations throughout Cambridge — from Harvard Square, Kendall Square, and Central Square to Porter Square and East Cambridge. Every Cambridge project is filed with the City of Cambridge Inspectional Services 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 Cambridge, including Somerville, Boston, Watertown, Arlington, and Belmont. Our Somerville office at 519 Broadway is the closest of our four Massachusetts locations — see our Somerville office or call (617) 501-6788 to get a Cambridge rating on the schedule.
Cambridge Specialized Energy Code — HERS Index Targets
Cambridge enforces the Massachusetts Specialized (Opt-In) Energy Code. The required HERS score depends on fuel type and project scope — a lower index is stricter. As a fossil-fuel-free community, new construction in Cambridge must be built all-electric, so the all-electric columns apply.
| 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 Cambridge project up front so you know the exact target and the fastest path to hit it — call (617) 501-6788.
More Massachusetts Towns We Serve
Certified HERS ratings, blower door testing and energy code compliance across all 351 Massachusetts cities and towns.
