Residential New Construction Program
The Residential New Construction program promotes a higher standard of energy efficiency in new home construction. This regional utility initiative was created to help home builders and buyers design and construct new homes that use up to 30 percent less energy than homes built to Model Energy Code standards.
The Residential New Construction program operates by providing home energy ratings as a means of certifying compliance with the ENERGY STAR® standard and helping consumers and builders differentiate between efficient homes and standard homes.
Energy efficiency homes offer optimal indoor comfort and energy savings. The program provides ENERGY STAR® plans review, including a pre-construction meeting, post construction inspection, of all the components (e.g., central heating and water heating equipment, lighting fixtures, appliances, enhanced measures), a blower door test (to measure air leakage), and Home Energy Rating System (“HERS”) certification to ENERGY STAR® qualifying homes.
Participating homes may also take advantage of high efficiency heating equipment rebates offered by Bay State Gas.