Massachusetts Energy Bill - Implications for Remodelers
Published on Monday, July 07, 2008
Massachusetts Energy Bill
July 2, 2008
On July 2, Governor Deval Patrick signed into law the the Green Communities Act, a comprehensive energy reform bill. The components of the Bill that most directly affect the Building and Remodeling Industry are highlighted here:
The legislation does NOT include an earlier provision that would have allowed qualifying "green communities" to create and enforce local building codes.
The legislation calls for the Board of Building Regulations and Standards to:
- Adopt and fully integrate the latest International Energy Conservation Code as part of the state building code, together with any more stringent energy-efficiency provisions that the board, in consultation with the department of energy resources, concludes are warranted.
- In consultation with the department of energy resources, to develop requirements and promulgate regulations as part of the state building code for the training and certification of city and town inspectors of buildings, building commissioners and local inspectors regarding the energy provisions of the state building code
- Require that all new construction and any major reconstruction, alteration or repair of residential and non-residential buildings pass inspection by inspectors who have been trained and certified, demonstrating full compliance with the energy provisions of the state building code.
