The U.S. Department of Energy recognized a team from Massachusetts for its innovative leadership in working together to develop, write and ultimately get adopted the first state-level stretch building energy code in the country.

The Massachusetts Stretch Code Team, comprised of staff from Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, the Board of Building Regulations and Standards, and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, was presented with the Jeffrey A. Johnson Award on July 19, 2010, at Energy Codes 2010.

The team was recognized for its collaborative efforts in getting the stretch code adopted in Massachusetts. This historic adoption means that buildings designed and built to the new Massachusetts stretch code (known officially as Appendix 120.AA) will use approximately 20% less energy than a comparable building designed and built to the standard building code.

The new code has been designed as a local option code, meaning each community has the choice of adopting it or not. This ensures that municipalities have access to a stretch code while preventing the proliferation of different codes statewide.

"It's been wonderful to see communities of all different sizes and demographic backgrounds embrace the stretch code. By doing so, these cities and towns have recognized the environmental benefits and huge potential for savings that comes with making homes, schools, offices and other buildings in their communities more energy efficient," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles. "To date 44 communities in Massachusetts have adopted the stretch code and we anticipate that this number will rise rapidly again in the fall."

The stretch code for commercial buildings is based on the New Buildings Institute's Core Performance Guide, which NEEP incorporated in its Model Progressive Building Energy Codes Policy. The policy provides guidelines for states to incorporate tougher energy codes into their code adoption process. The residential stretch code is based on ENERGY STAR for Homes with a minimum Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score depending upon the size of the home. The overall aim is to help lead to continual improvements in building practices such that by 2030, net-zero energy buildings (buildings that produce as much energy as they use) should comprise the majority of new construction.

"The Massachusetts Stretch Code would have never been possible without the leadership of Governor Patrick and the folks at the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, the Board of Building Regulations and Standards, and MA Department of Energy Resources," said Carolyn Sarno, Senior Program Manager at NEEP. "The success of this effort truly exemplifies what can be achieved through collaborative work."

The recipients of the 2010 Jeff Johnson Award on behalf of the Massachusetts Stretch Code Team include:

Tom Riley, Board of Building Regulations and Standards




Mike Guigli, Board of Building Regulations and Standards




Ian Finlayson, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs




Marc Breslow, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs




Isaac Elnecave, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (formerly)




Carolyn Sarno, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships

ABOUT NEEP
For the industry, communities, businesses, and policy makers in the Northeast & Mid-Atlantic regions, NEEP is non-profit organization that transforms the way we use and think about energy. Through advocacy, collaboration and education, we work in the region to remove the greatest barriers to the advancement of energy efficiency and make visible its impacts on the region, economy, the planet. For more information, visit www.neep.org.

ABOUT THE JEFFREY A. JOHNSON AWARD
The Jeffrey A. Johnson Award was established in 2006 in honor of Jeff Johnson, a leader in Building Energy Codes and Performance, who died in a mountain biking accident on May 15, 2005. Jeff was an enthusiastic, motivated visionary who made significant impacts in the field of building energy codes and performance throughout his career at the California Energy Commission, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and as Executive Director of New Buildings Institute.

Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships

Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships

For the industry, communities, businesses, and policy makers in the Northeast & Mid-Atlantic regions, NEEP is a non-profit organization that transforms the way we use and think about energy. We work in the region to remove the greatest barriers to the advancement of energy efficiency and make visible its impacts on the region, economy, the planet. We focus on areas where energy efficiency can have the most immediate and largest impact: reducing energy in buildings, speeding the adoption of smart products, and advancing knowledge and best practices. Our unique approach brings together all stakeholders through education, advocacy, and collaboration - three powerful ingredients essential to true market transformation.

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