New Braintree, MA Stretch Energy Code Support

New Braintree adopted the Stretch Code, and the state lists it as effective January 1, 2018.

In plain terms:

• New homes: a HERS rating of 42 or lower with gas, oil or propane equipment, 45 or lower if all-electric, or Passive House certification instead
• Large additions and renovations: work over 1,000 sq ft, or more than 100% of the existing home, needs a HERS 65 or 70 target
• Smaller additions and alterations: REScheck or the prescriptive path is usually enough
• Commercial: COMcheck for buildings up to 20,000 sq ft

With limited office hours, it is best to have the HERS or REScheck paperwork complete before you bring in the application.

In New Braintree, building permits go through the Building Department, with office hours on Tuesday afternoons. The town posts the state one- and two-family building permit application and its own guidelines as paper forms.

Air sealing is where most scores are won or lost. Rim joists, attic hatches, recessed lights and plumbing penetrations are the usual leaks, so we flag them on the plans and check them before insulation is covered.

Duct leakage counts too. Ducts outside the conditioned space have to be sealed and tested, and keeping them inside the thermal envelope makes the target much easier to reach.

Mechanical ventilation is part of every HERS path, and the measured air flow is checked at the final visit along with the blower door number, so the fan and controls should be shown on the plans.

Changes during construction matter. Swapping windows, insulation or the heating system after the HERS model is done can move the score, so those changes should go past the rater first.

New Braintree projects are handled from our Marlborough office at 272 Lincoln St C1. If you send plans early, we can run the energy model while the design can still change cheaply.