REScheck & COMcheck Newton MA - Quick Facts
Local energy code in Newton
- As of January 1, 2024, Newton 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.
- Newton 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 Newton
- REScheck documents the prescriptive residential path for Newton 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 Newton permit application.
Mass Save rebates for Newton (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 136 Google reviews · (617) 501-6788
REScheck & COMcheck Newton MA
From small additions to commercial fit-outs in Newton, we deliver the REScheck and COMcheck reports your Middlesex County building department requires — accurate, signed, and turned around quickly.
What we deliver
A stamped, signed compliance report matched to your plans and ready to upload with your Newton building permit application.
What Is a REScheck and What Is a COMcheck?
REScheck and COMcheck are DOE-developed programs that show a building meets the IECC energy code. Which one your Newton project needs depends on whether the work is residential or commercial — here is how they differ.
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.
What is a COMcheck?
COMcheck handles commercial work and high-rise residential of four stories or more. The DOE tool evaluates envelope, lighting (interior and exterior), and mechanical systems against either the IECC or ASHRAE 90.1, with trade-offs allowed across components.
Is a REScheck Right for Your Newton Project?
REScheck is the simplest path for smaller residential projects in Newton 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
- Projects where insulation and window trade-offs are enough to demonstrate compliance
- Detached accessory structures with conditioned space
- Finished basements, attic conversions, and dormer additions on existing homes
When Do You Need a COMcheck in Newton?
COMcheck is required for commercial and larger projects in Newton. Reach for a COMcheck when your project involves:
- Medical, dental, and professional office construction
- Commercial buildings — offices, retail, restaurants, warehouses, and mixed-use
- New mechanical (HVAC) or service water heating systems in commercial spaces
- Restaurant build-outs and retail white-box improvements
- Envelope work on commercial structures requiring IECC or ASHRAE 90.1 compliance
What We Deliver for Newton 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.
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.
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 Newton.
Serving Newton and Middlesex County
Newton 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 Newton currently enforces.
What a REScheck or COMcheck Costs in Newton
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 Newton. Send your plans for an exact quote.
Trusted by Newton 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 Newton?
Send us your plans and we will tell you which report you need and get it back to you fast — ready for your Newton permit.
Email Energyconsultants01@gmail.com Call 617-501-6788HERS Ratings Across Newton and Nearby Communities
Home Energy Efficiency Consultants rates new homes, additions, and major renovations throughout Newton — from Newton Centre, Newtonville, and West Newton to Auburndale and Chestnut Hill. Every Newton project is filed with the City of Newton 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 Newton, including Brookline, Watertown, Wellesley, Needham, and Waltham. 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 Newton rating on the schedule.
Newton Specialized Energy Code — HERS Index Targets
Newton 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 Newton 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 Newton 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.
