Winchendon, MA Stretch Energy Code Support

Winchendon has been a Stretch Code community since January 1, 2014, according to the state's adoption list, and it has not moved to the Specialized (Opt-In) Code.

In practice, a Winchendon job usually lands in one of these paths:

• New homes: HERS 42 for mixed-fuel homes, HERS 45 for all-electric homes, or Passive House certification.
• Large additions and renovations: projects over 1,000 sq ft or over 100% of the existing home need HERS 65 (mixed-fuel) or HERS 70 (all-electric).
• Smaller additions and alterations: REScheck or the prescriptive path is usually enough.
• Commercial: COMcheck works for commercial buildings up to 20,000 sq ft.

Permits in Winchendon are handled by the Building Department. Applications are submitted by mail or email to the Land Use Coordinator at 109 Front Street, and fees can be paid online.

The work follows the build: a plan review and energy model before permit, a pre-drywall inspection of insulation and air sealing, then blower door and duct leakage testing so the final paperwork is ready for the Winchendon final inspection.

Timing matters too: the energy model should be done before you file, because the score it predicts is what the final blower door and duct leakage results have to support when the Winchendon inspector signs off.

Not every job needs a full rating. For a modest addition or alteration in Winchendon we can prepare the REScheck report instead, and for a commercial space up to 20,000 sq ft we prepare COMcheck, so the energy paperwork matches the size of the project.

HEEC serves Winchendon from our Marlborough office at 272 Lincoln St C1, and we are happy to look at plans before you apply.