Chair Laura Dubester opened the meeting to Michael Canales who listed some of the accomplishments of GC in carbon reduction. Replaced streetlights with LED bulbs, installed four charging units at Town Offices for electric cars, purchased one hybrid police car, and kept recycling free to residents even as cost to Town rises to encourage the behavior. Stockbridge is on its way to being a climate leader.

Chris Mason presented another program mandated by the Commonwealth to become a Climate Leader — The State Performance Code.

HERS — it is a mandatory rating system to demonstrate compliance with energy codes. The Building Inspector is the HERS rater.

There is the building plan rating, the in-progress inspection, and final inspection to rate compliance.

There are three energy codes: Base code, Stretch Code, and Special Code. Stockbridge is currently on Stretch Code — the requirements for Stretch Code will soon be increased.

Bottom line — the code controls insulation and leakage. The more insulated the house and the tighter versus leakier, the better. One member mentioned that if too tight not safe and Mason said they are inventing fans to bring in outside air.

This impacts new housing starts, but there may be money available to improve current housing stock, for example, Community Block Grants, Justice40, and other federal grants.