{"id":17664,"date":"2023-10-06T17:38:39","date_gmt":"2023-10-06T21:38:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/?p=17664"},"modified":"2023-10-11T18:29:41","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T22:29:41","slug":"action-item-climate-change-and-needhams-building-code","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/2023\/10\/action-item-climate-change-and-needhams-building-code\/","title":{"rendered":"Action Item &#8211; Climate Change and Needham\u2019s Building Code"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\">Action Items:<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/solar-house-csm.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-11342 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/solar-house-csm-300x273.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"273\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/solar-house-csm-300x273.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/solar-house-csm-768x700.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/solar-house-csm-560x510.jpg 560w, https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/solar-house-csm-150x137.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/solar-house-csm.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em>Read Below about the New Opt-In Specialized Energy Code<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<h3><strong><em><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Attend the Public Hearing on Tues. Oct. 10th<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<h3><em><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong>Contact your Town Meeting Members<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This fall, Needham has the opportunity, through a Town Meeting vote, to take a huge step forward in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector. We can ensure that <strong>new construction<\/strong> is built for the net zero energy future, a future\u00a0in which greenhouse gas emissions are greatly reduced and those that remain are offset by gases removed from the atmosphere.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Currently, 64% of greenhouse gas emissions in Needham come from our buildings. Imagine an all-electric, net zero energy future, where our buildings are powered not by fossil fuels, but by electricity that is 100% renewably sourced. At the Fall Town Meeting, on October 30, members will have the opportunity to adopt additions to our building code to move us toward that future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Green Needham strongly supports this change to the building code.<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Read on to learn more about it and how you can help. We are all part of this process! <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We give you links below to contact your Town Meeting members and urge them to support the change.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><b>The New Building Code Option for Greater Energy Efficiency<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beginning this year, Massachusetts municipalities have three options for the energy efficiency portion of the building code.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Base Energy Code<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which is the least stringent option, is used by about 15% of the state\u2019s communities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stretch Energy Code<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which mandates more energy efficiency than the Base Code, is used by Needham, along with about 80% of communities in Massachusetts.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A new code, called the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Opt-In Specialized Energy Code <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Specialized Code) is now available. So far it has been adopted by 21 communities &#8211;\u00a0 including Wellesley, Newton, Boston, Cambridge, Lexington, Concord and Arlington &#8211; representing 5% of municipalities but 22% of the state\u2019s population. The Specialized Code adds additional requirements to what is mandated by the Stretch Code.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><b>The New Opt-In Specialized Energy Code Gets Us Closer to Net Zero!<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Specialized Code applies <\/span><b><i>only<\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to <em><strong>new<\/strong> <\/em>construction. (All renovations, additions, and alterations are covered by the Stretch Energy Code.) Homes and commercial buildings that are built today will be with us for decades, making it especially important that they be energy efficient. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under the Specialized Code, most new buildings of any size that are <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">all electric<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> will not need to meet any additional requirements. Building all electric is good for the environment, because it eliminates the use of fossil fuels. It\u2019s also good for the people who live or work in the building, because electric buildings have better air quality. Moreover, the state and federal governments are currently offering significant upfront incentives to install electric systems, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">meaning that all-electric construction is often less expensive than construction that includes fossil fuels. Other factors also keep construction costs competitive. For example, fossil fuel furnaces require gas lines and additional plumbing, and they cannot be used to cool a building, which results in an additional system for air conditioning being installed. All-electric heat pumps both heat and cool, replacing two systems with one<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Specialized Code introduces new energy efficiency requirements for mixed-fuel residential and commercial buildings &#8211; that is, buildings that use fossil fuels for any space or water heating, or to power appliances.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, mixed-fuel buildings must pre-wire any fossil fuel systems or appliances for later conversion to electricity. While the homes may last 50 or more years, the heating and cooling systems will typically only last about 15 to 20 years, at which point, in order for the state to meet its Net Zero goals, those systems will have to be replaced with all-electric systems. That is why the Specialized Code mandates that if a new home, for example, has a propane heating system and a gas range, it must be pre-wired for a heat pump and an electric range. This requirement provides consumer protection for owners of residential and commercial buildings by making the future transition to all-electric systems simpler and less costly. Wiring is easy and inexpensive at the time of construction when the walls are not yet closed up, but difficult and expensive later. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Second, most new mixed-fuel buildings will need to have some onsite solar power generation. The amount of solar required depends on the size of the structure, with adjustments made for shading on the building site.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Kathy-and-Rob-at-Town-Meeting-2.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-16836 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Kathy-and-Rob-at-Town-Meeting-2-300x169.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Kathy-and-Rob-at-Town-Meeting-2-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Kathy-and-Rob-at-Town-Meeting-2-560x315.jpeg 560w, https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Kathy-and-Rob-at-Town-Meeting-2-150x84.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Kathy-and-Rob-at-Town-Meeting-2.jpeg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><b>Ask Your Town Meeting Members to Approve Use of the Specialized Code!<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Select Board and the Town\u2019s Climate Action Plan Committee are strongly in favor of Needham adopting the Specialized Code. At the Fall Special Town Meeting on October 30, they will ask Town Meeting to approve this step.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><b>Green Needham strongly endorses adoption of the Specialized Code.<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It is a critical step in Needham\u2019s path to net zero emissions. The League of Women Voters of Needham and Mothers Out Front Needham also support adoption of the Specialized Code.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We urge you to ask your Town Meeting members to vote in favor of Article 15<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which would adopt the Specialized Code. Needham town government has a contact form to make it easy for residents to communicate with their Town Meeting representatives. To open the contact form, click <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.needhamma.gov\/2045\/Town-Meeting?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_5_18_2021_14_31_COPY_01)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and select your precinct from the list. If you\u2019re not sure of your precinct, you can consult precinct maps <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/needhamma.gov\/2389\/Town-Maps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><b>Support Adoption of the Specialized Code at a Public Hearing on October 10, 2023<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Select Board will hold a public hearing on adoption of the Specialized Code during its meeting at Town Hall on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at approximately 6:30 p.m. Please plan to attend and show your support for this important change to our building code. If you are unable to attend in person, <\/span>you can join via the Zoom link below. (If you encounter any problem you can also find the link in the 10-10-2023 <a href=\"https:\/\/needhamma.gov\/Archive.aspx?AMID=99&amp;Type=&amp;ADID=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Select Board agenda packet<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Zoom Link:<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/us02web.zoom.us\/j\/89068374046?pwd=UzBqaWIrNWZrSWdCQkpaZkJyd1RHQT09\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>https:\/\/us02web.zoom.us\/j\/89068374046?pwd=UzBqaWIrNWZrSWdCQkpaZkJyd1RHQT09<\/strong><\/a><br \/>\nWebinar ID: 890 6837 4046<br \/>\nPasscode: 221095<\/p>\n<p><b>Learn more about the Specialized Code<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources has released a Frequently Asked Questions document with lots of information about the new code. You can find it <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/doc\/2023-stretch-energy-and-municipal-opt-in-specialized-building-code-faq\/download\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Action Items: Read Below about the New Opt-In Specialized Energy Code Attend the Public Hearing on Tues. Oct. 10th Contact your Town Meeting Members This fall, Needham has the opportunity, through a Town Meeting vote, to take a huge step<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":16836,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[10],"class_list":["post-17664","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17664","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17664"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17664\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16836"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17664"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17664"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17664"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}