Stretch Code
Background
Needham is considering seeking designation as a “Green Community,” a status which brings both technical help and money from the State to promote local energy-saving and clean energy projects. There are five requirements to becoming a Green Community, and Town Meeting action is required for one of those requirements – adopting the Stretch Code.
The Stretch Code is an optional appendix to the base energy code which increases efficiency requirements for all new residential and many new commercial buildings, as well as for those residential additions and renovations that would normally trigger building code requirements. Stretch Code buildings achieve approximately 20% better energy efficiency in new residential and commercial buildings than is required by the base energy code.
After four months of meetings, the Selectmen-appointed Green Communities Study Committee recommended that Needham adopt the stretch code and join the Green Communities program. The Selectmen later voted 3-2 to recommend adoption of the Stretch Code to Town Meeting. The Selectmen will not vote on joining Green Communities until after Town Meeting makes a decision on the Stretch Code.
For an explanation of the advantages of becoming a Green Community and an update on how Needham can meet the other four Green Community requirements, click here to access the Green Communities Study Committee Report.
Information and Resources
- Top Five Reasons why Green Needham believes our Town should join the Massachusetts communities that have already approved the Stretch Code
- Stretch Code Concerns
- Stretch Code Q&A mailed by the Town to Town Meeting Members on Nov. 2nd
- Downloadable PDF combining Top Five Reasons and Stretch Code Concerns
- Jerry Wasserman’s Needham Times column urging adoption of the Stretch Code
- Map of Stretch Code Communities (104 as of 1/1/2012)
- Stretch Code FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Documents from the Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS):
- General
- Administrative
- BBRS information page for the stretch code