Affordable-housing trust backs letter of support for specialized energy code warrant article

The Westboro Affordable Housing Trust voted March 13 to authorize the chair to send a letter of support backing Warrant Article 30, a Sustainable Westboro-sponsored proposal to adopt the state's optional specialized energy code locally.

Sustainable Westboro chair Peter Flynn told trustees the specialized energy code would apply only to new buildings, encourage electrification over fossil fuels, and require enhanced efficiency measures. “The specialized energy code is to promote cost-effective measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with new buildings,” Flynn said, adding the warrant article would take effect Jan. 1 to allow projects already in the pipeline to transition.

Trustees were shown that multifamily projects not already all-electric would face higher performance standards; for such buildings the state’s option includes a passive-house efficiency requirement and solar or pre-wiring requirements for fossil-fuel-using new construction. Flynn noted most new commercial and multifamily buildings in comparable Massachusetts communities are already moving to electric heating or passive-house standards, so the article targets a relatively small subset of new, fossil-fuel-consuming projects.

During Q&A, trustees asked whether industrial process heat would be affected. Flynn and a Sustainable Westboro member clarified that industrial processes and large process heat are regulated separately and are not within the scope of the building energy code change. Trustees also discussed expected benefits, including lower ongoing electric demand, occupant comfort, and access to state grant funding for communities that meet 'climate leader' criteria.

By roll-call vote the trust approved the motion authorizing the chair to send a support letter and to present the trust’s endorsement at town meeting. The trust also said a draft memo would be edited and circulated to trustees before sending the final letter.

The warrant article must still be adopted by town meeting to take effect; the trust’s action was limited to authorizing support and does not change local law.