REScheck & COMcheck Harvard MA - Quick Facts
Local energy code in Harvard
- Harvard adopted the Massachusetts Specialized (Opt-In) Energy Code effective January 1, 2025; the Stretch Code applies as the baseline. IECC Climate Zone 5A.
- Beyond the Stretch baseline, new mixed-fuel homes must be pre-wired for future electrification and add on-site solar where there is significant unshaded roof space.
- All-electric new homes must use heat pumps for space heating and hot water; fossil-fuel homes over 4,000 sq ft must reach net-zero (HERS 0), and new multifamily over 12,000 sq ft must meet Passive House.
REScheck & COMcheck in Harvard
- REScheck documents the prescriptive residential path for Harvard 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 Harvard permit application.
2026 Mass Save incentives in Harvard
- 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 Harvard MA
Fast, accurate REScheck and COMcheck energy code compliance reports for residential and commercial projects in Harvard, 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 stamped, signed compliance report matched to your plans and ready to upload with your Harvard building permit application.
REScheck vs. COMcheck: What’s the Difference?
These are the two standard software tools plan reviewers accept for energy code compliance. Developed by the DOE, they let a Worcester County project demonstrate that its envelope (and, for commercial, lighting and mechanical) meets the IECC.
What is a REScheck?
REScheck is DOE software for residential compliance — detached one- and two-family homes and multifamily buildings three stories or fewer. It runs a UA (insulation and window) trade-off calculation against the IECC, letting extra performance in one assembly offset another so the whole envelope still passes.
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.
Is a REScheck Right for Your Harvard Project?
REScheck is the simplest path for smaller residential projects in Harvard 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
- Additions, alterations, or renovations to a one- or two-family home
- Finished basements, attic conversions, and dormer additions on existing homes
- Projects where insulation and window trade-offs are enough to demonstrate compliance
- Permit applications needing residential envelope documentation on the prescriptive or UA trade-off path
COMcheck Projects in Harvard
COMcheck is required for commercial and larger projects in Harvard. Reach for a COMcheck when your project involves:
- Tenant fit-outs and interior or exterior lighting alterations
- New mechanical (HVAC) or service water heating systems in commercial spaces
- Commercial buildings — offices, retail, restaurants, warehouses, and mixed-use
- Envelope work on commercial structures requiring IECC or ASHRAE 90.1 compliance
- Medical, dental, and professional office construction
What We Deliver for Harvard 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 Harvard.
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.
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.
Serving Harvard and Worcester County
Harvard sits in Worcester 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 Worcester County, matched to the code edition Harvard currently enforces.
REScheck & COMcheck Pricing in Harvard
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 Harvard. Send your plans for an exact quote.
Trusted by Harvard 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 Harvard?
Send us your plans and we will tell you which report you need and get it back to you fast — ready for your Harvard permit.
Email Energyconsultants01@gmail.com Call 617-501-6788HERS Ratings Across Harvard and Nearby Communities
Home Energy Efficiency Consultants rates new homes, additions, and major renovations throughout Harvard — including Harvard Center, Still River, and Bare Hill. Every Harvard project is filed with the Town of Harvard 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 Harvard, including Bolton, Boxborough, Littleton, Ayer, and Stow. Our Marlborough office at 272 Lincoln St is the closest of our four Massachusetts locations — see our Marlborough office or call (617) 501-6788 to get a Harvard rating on the schedule.
Harvard Specialized Energy Code — HERS Index Targets
Harvard 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 Harvard 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.
