Public Meeting Notice  BBRS Energy Advisory Committee Meeting - 6.1.26

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In accordance with the provisions of G.L. c. 30A § 20, notice is hereby given that the Board of Building Regulations and Standards 11^th Edition Energy Advisory Subcommittee will be convening a regular meeting. 

If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in the meeting, please reach out to Cheryl Yebba at 617- 701-8711. The Agency will make best efforts to accommodate requests received in a timely manner.

In accordance with the provisions of G.L. c. 30A § 20, the Board of Building Regulations and Standards Energy Advisory Committee convened a regular monthly meeting on:

Microsoft Teams Meeting June 1^st, 2026

The topics shown below were discussed at the aforementioned meeting: 10:02 AM Chair Ian Finlayson called the open meeting to order.

Informational note: All votes were taken by roll call. Where each member voted in favor, the vote will be reported as unanimous.

Committee Members Present:

• Ian Finlayson, DOER
• Rebecca Ansolabehere, Mechanical Engineer
• Michael Browne, HERS Rater
• Nathan Darling, Municipal Building Official
• Paulette McGhie, RESNET Members
• Vineet Nair, BBRS Member
• Rebecca Rahmlow, Architect
• Brianna Skowyra, DOL Members

Committee Members Absent:

• Tarica Leskiw, BBRS Member

DOL Staff Present:

• Charles Kilb, Senior Board Counsel
• Andrew Chase, Associate Executive Director

Acknowledged Public Attendees:

• Shilpa Surana, DOER
• Anastasia Daou, NAIOP

1. Reviewed and Voted Minutes for May 4^th, 2026
   1. Mike Browne motioned to approve meeting minutes, seconded by Nate Darling. A roll call vote was held, none opposed, none abstained. Motion passed unanimously. 
2. Reviewed and Discussed Code Change Proposal Forms and Front-End Amendments
   1. IECC 2024 C406

• Members continued their review of the proposed Massachusetts front-end amendments to IECC 2024 Section C406, focusing on simplifying the new efficiency credit system while maintaining comparable overall stringency. The proposal reduces the maximum required credits to 20, requiring a minimum of 10 credits from efficiency measures and allowing the remaining credits to be earned through renewable energy or demand management options. Members discussed consolidating the IECC's eight building use categories into four to substantially reduce the number of compliance tables and simplify administration.
• The committee reviewed revisions to individual credit options. Members discussed envelope improvements based on a 15% UA improvement, enhanced air leakage performance with a sliding-scale point system, higher-efficiency heat pumps exceeding minimum equipment efficiencies, solar thermal water heating, heat pump water heaters, and shower drain heat recovery. Members also reviewed new embodied carbon credit options derived from the Massachusetts Stretch Energy Code, including heavy timber construction, low-global warming potential concrete, and low-carbon insulation materials.
• Considerable discussion centered on whether to restore the proposed credit for induction cooking equipment. Members expressed support for reinstating the credit because it promotes building electrification and provides a visible benefit to building occupants. Discussion focused on how the credit should apply to commercial kitchens, restaurants, institutional occupancies, and other building types without creating opportunities for nominal installations solely intended to earn compliance points. Members discussed potential occupancy thresholds and minimum kitchen size requirements before agreeing that members would develop revised language for further review.
• The committee also reviewed the renewable energy and load management credit table, which retains demand response measures such as automated shading, battery storage, thermal energy storage, HVAC load management, and solar thermal systems largely as written in the IECC. Members discussed the proposed renewable energy credit, which aligns with Massachusetts Stretch Code provisions by awarding additional points for photovoltaic systems approximately twice the size of the IECC minimum requirement, with modified sizing requirements for hospitals and high-ventilation buildings.
• Although members generally supported the revised structure of Section C406, they agreed additional edits were needed to address induction cooking credits before taking formal action. 

1. IECC 2024 C403

• The committee reviewed proposed amendments to IECC 2024 Section C403, with an emphasis on incorporating several cost-effective improvements already approved for the draft 2027 IECC. Members discussed revisions to Section C403.7 governing ventilation and exhaust systems, including updated demand control ventilation (DCV) requirements that replace occupant density thresholds with outdoor airflow thresholds referenced from ASHRAE Standard 62.1 and the International Mechanical Code (IMC) Table 403.3.1.1. Members demonstrated how designers would determine DCV applicability using occupant outdoor airflow rates expressed in cfm per 1,000 square feet. Members noted that the revised methodology better aligns the IECC with current ASHRAE practice while simplifying future code updates.
• Members also reviewed proposed revisions to Section C403.7.4 governing dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS) by relocating requirements previously contained in Section C406 into the primary mechanical systems chapter. Additional discussion addressed energy recovery requirements for non-transient dwelling units, including revisions to sensible energy recovery ratios, enthalpy recovery requirements, AHRI verification methods, and climate zone applicability. Members noted that these changes align with both the Massachusetts Stretch Energy Code and proposed 2027 IECC language.
• The committee then reviewed proposed amendments to Section C403.8 related to fan power limitations. Members discussed adopting the updated fan power allowance methodology from the 2027 IECC and forthcoming ASHRAE 90.1-2025, including new fan power calculation procedures, revised allowance tables, updated system classifications, and expanded equipment adjustment factors. Members noted that these revisions represent one of the most cost-effective energy savings measures under consideration and would better align Massachusetts with the latest national standards.
• Finally, members discussed a proposed new duct leakage testing requirement for Section C403.14.2.3, requiring testing of 25% of duct surface area for qualifying low-pressure central exhaust systems serving multifamily buildings. Concerns were raised that the proposed leakage limit of 1.5 cfm per square foot may be significantly more stringent than current ENERGY STAR testing requirements and could present compliance challenges. Members requested additional review comparing the proposal with existing ENERGY STAR and SMACNA practices before determining whether to adopt the amendment.
• Given the remaining questions regarding duct leakage testing, the committee agreed to defer action on Section C403 pending further research. 

3. Review/Discuss/Vote 2024 IECC Commercial Chapters
4. IECC 2024 C402

• The committee received an introductory review of proposed amendments to IECC 2024 Section C402, focusing primarily on changes introduced in the 2024 code related to thermal envelope calculations. Members discussed new IECC provisions for calculating U-factors, C-factors, and F-factors, revised methods for tapered above-deck insulation, expanded component performance calculations, and the introduction of thermal bridge accounting through linear thermal transmittance (psi-factor) calculations.
• Members expressed concern that several of these new thermal bridging provisions remain transitional and may be substantially revised in future editions of the IECC and ASHRAE 90.1. Similar concerns were discussed regarding newly introduced default calculation methods for cold-formed steel assemblies and spandrel panels, which members believed could unnecessarily restrict future design approaches.
• The committee also noted that recent updates to Section C402.6 addressing air barrier documentation and testing requirements would remain unchanged, as the proposed IECC language already reflects current advances in building envelope performance. Due to time limitations, detailed review of Section C402 was deferred to the next meeting, and no vote was taken.

3. IECC 2024 C404 and C405

• Members reviewed proposed updates to interior and exterior lighting power density (LPD) allowances based on the developing 2027 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2025. Members explained that lighting power allowances throughout the building area method and space-by-space method have generally been reduced to reflect improvements in LED lighting technology and increased luminaire efficacy. Members noted that the lighting industry has historically been able to comply with progressively lower power densities, making these updates consistent with current practice.
• The committee also reviewed the new mandatory onsite renewable energy requirements in Section C405.15, which require most new commercial buildings over 5,000 square feet to install onsite renewable energy systems, generally photovoltaic systems sized at 0.75 watts per square foot of the three largest above-grade floor plates. Members discussed the various IECC exceptions for shaded sites, occupied roofs, mechanical equipment, green roofs, and small buildings. Members recommended deleting the IECC provisions requiring offsite renewable energy procurement and renewable energy certificate (REC) contracts because those provisions would require building officials to verify long-term contractual arrangements that fall outside traditional code enforcement responsibilities.
• The committee also discussed proposed revisions to electric vehicle readiness requirements in Section C405, including alignment with current Massachusetts Stretch Energy Code language while maintaining the existing base code requirement that 10% of parking spaces be EV-ready. Members reviewed provisions requiring 40-amp branch circuits, automatic load management systems (ALMS), reduced service capacity options using managed charging, and associated construction documentation requirements.

4. Reviewed and Discussed Code Proposal
   1. NAIOP Electric Vehicle Code Proposal submitted by T. Small and A. Daou - Anastasia Daou of NAIOP discussed their proposal concerning electric vehicle readiness requirements. Members discussed concerns raised by the development community regarding the cost of providing future EV infrastructure, particularly the significant utility infrastructure upgrades and associated "make-ready" costs that utilities often require before occupancy. Discussion focused on balancing future electrification goals with the practical challenges of electrical service capacity and utility interconnection costs.
   2. Members noted that the committee's proposed amendments using automatic load management systems (ALMS) seek to address many of the same concerns by reducing required service capacity while maintaining future charging capability. Anastasia Daou acknowledged that the committee's proposal appeared responsive to many of the issues previously raised and agreed to provide written technical comments after reviewing the latest draft language. The committee agreed to share the draft amendments with NAIOP before the next meeting to facilitate additional stakeholder input prior to any vote.
5. Matters Not Reasonably Anticipated 48 Hours in Advance of Meeting
   1. No matters were discussed. 
6. Adjournment – The next meeting will be held on June 22^nd, 2026. 
7. Brianna Skowyra motioned to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Nate Darling. A roll call vote was held, none opposed, none abstained. Motion passed unanimously. 
8. Meeting adjourned at 12:00 PM.

Items Relied Upon

• Meeting Agenda
• Draft Meeting Minutes
• 2024 IECC Chapters 4 with draft amendments
• NAIOP Electric Vehicle Code Proposal

 It is anticipated that the topics shown below will be discussed at the aforementioned meeting: 

1. Review/Vote Minutes of the following meetings: 
   1. Energy Advisory minutes from May 4, 2026
2. Review/Discuss/ Vote Code Change Proposal Forms and Front-End Amendments
   1. IECC 2024 C406
   2. IECC 2024 C403
3. Review/Discuss/Vote 2024 IECC Commercial Chapters
   1. IECC 2024 C402
   2. IECC 2024 C404 and C405
4. Review/Discuss Code Proposal
   1. NAIOP Electric Vehicle Code Proposal submitted by T. Small and A. Daou
5. Discuss matters not reasonably anticipated by the chair, 48 hours in advance of the meeting

Adjournment – the next scheduled meeting is June 22, 2026