UPCOMING ENERGY CODE CHANGES:

On July 1, 2024, HERS requirements drop to:

• HERS 42 for buildings with any mixed-fuel buildings
• HERS 42 for buildings with any mixed-fuel buildings with solar electric generation
• HERS 45 for all-electric buildings
• HERS 45 for all-electric buildings with solar electric generation

MASS SAVE INCENTIVE PROGRAM CHANGES:

In August 2022, Massachusetts enacted legislation aimed at accelerating decarbonization in new and existing buildings throughout the commonwealth. Among the impacts of this new law are changes to incentive eligibility for fossil fuel equipment and new construction buildings that utilize fossil fuel equipment.

Effective January 1, 2025, the Sponsors of Mass Save will no longer be permitted to issue incentive payments tied to fossil fuel equipment or new construction buildings with fossil fuel equipment. The focus of incentives is shifting to more clearly promote electrification and decarbonization.

IMPORTANT: For Mass Save Residential New Construction, participating single family and multi-family projects that utilize fossil fuel equipment must be submitted for final post-construction incentive processing by September 30, 2024 to remain eligible for incentives.

The only exception is that fossil fuel-fired domestic hot water will be allowable for a limited time in participating 5+ unit multi-family buildings, but no incentive payments will be tied to this equipment. Aside from multi-family domestic hot water, all single family and multi-family projects participating in Mass Save Residential New Construction will need to be all-electric to enroll and qualify for incentives.

Guidelines specific to Mass Save Renovations and Additions are still in development, with additional information coming soon.

ALL-ELECTRIC HOME INCENTIVE PROGRAM:

The Sponsors of Mass Save have launched a new initiative to drive market transformation in residential new construction toward high-performing, all-electric homes. They are offering incentives of up to $40,000 to support builders, developers, and homeowners in the construction of new homes that will use substantially less energy than code-built homes, while providing enhanced comfort and long-term resiliency.

All-electric homes use high-performance heat pump technology for heating, cooling, and water heating. They feature lower embodied carbon building envelopes that minimize heat loss, leaks, and drafts to maximize energy efficiency. All-electric homes are designed to increase comfort and indoor air quality, reduce energy and maintenance costs, and provide sustained home value over time.

Click here to learn more about the program requirements and to see a breakdown of the available incentives.

*** Program eligibility requirements and incentives available are subject to change and may vary each year. ***

WE ARE HERE TO HELP

Given that projects have to COMPLETE + BE SUBMITTED by 9/30/24, it is imperative that you call our office ASAP if you have questions about how these new changes to the Mass Save incentive program will affect your project(s).

Please call our office ASAP at 508-833-3100, or send us an email to info@energycodehelp.com, to schedule a time for you to sit down with one of our lead HERS Raters. We will work with you to help value-engineer your projects and maximize any available incentives.

ALL-ELECTRIC HOMES QUESTIONS: If you have questions about this new program or are interested in enrolling an upcoming project, please reach out to our All-Electric Program lead, Andrew, at andrew@energycodehelp.com. He can evaluate your project and make suggestions to ensure your project will qualify.