Richmond, MA Stretch Energy Code Support

Richmond is a Stretch Code town: the state's adoption list shows it in effect since 2013. A typical project here follows four steps:

1. Confirm the path: a new home targets HERS 42 (mixed-fuel) or 45 (all-electric), or Passive House; an addition or renovation over 1,000 sq ft or over 100% of the existing home targets HERS 65/70; smaller work can use REScheck or the prescriptive path.
2. Model the design before the permit so wall, window and heating choices are settled.
3. Test at pre-drywall and final: blower door, duct leakage and ventilation.
4. For commercial buildings up to 20,000 sq ft, prepare COMcheck instead.

Richmond's Building & Zoning Enforcement office at Town Hall, 1751 State Rd, takes building permit applications online through the Berkshire PermitEyes portal, and forms are also in the town's document center.

Because the office handles zoning enforcement too, setbacks and the energy paperwork can be reviewed together, so it helps to submit the HERS or REScheck report with the site plan.

A HERS rating scores the finished home against a reference house built to the 2006 energy code, which is set at 100, so a lower number means a more efficient home.

On most jobs the rater visits twice: at pre-drywall to check insulation and air sealing while they can still be fixed, and at final for the blower door, duct leakage and ventilation tests.

REScheck compares the planned insulation, window and air sealing values with the code tables, which suits small additions and alterations with a simple envelope.

The energy paperwork is reviewed when the permit is issued and again before the certificate of occupancy, so the final report should match the approved plans.

The closest HEEC office to Richmond is Marlborough, at 272 Lincoln St C1. We can review plans, run the model and schedule the pre-drywall and final tests around your inspection dates.