OPINION: Summing Up: The Opt-In Specialized Energy Code In Five Easy Pieces

April 22, 2025 By John Borger, Hingham Net Zero & Energy Action Committee

1. What It Is

• An energy code extension authorized by the MA 2021 Climate Act with the intent that new buildings will be consistent with a net zero MA economy by 2050.
• A moderate add-on to our existing building code affecting new construction only.
• Includes separate provisions for residential and commercial buildings.
• Encourages but does not mandate all-electric and “passive house” buildings as easiest compliance pathways (no further requirements). The Opt-in Specialized Code DOES require multi-family housing over 12k square feet to be Passive House.   See also slide 11 on this slide deck.
• Respects builder choice for oil, gas or propane via mixed fuel compliance pathway.
• This pathway entails scaled solar and low-cost “pre-wiring” for future electrification.
• Allows Town to specify effective date and permits “long runway” for education.

2. What It Is Not

• It is not a building code extension that will impact additions or renovations.
• It is not a ban on new gas hook-ups or the use of fossil fuels in new buildings.
• It is not a mandate for heat pumps or induction stoves.
• It is not a significant workload addition for Hingham Building Commissioner’s staff.
• It does not burden builders with excessive costs.
• It is not an impediment to economic development in Hingham.

3. Why Should Hingham Adopt It?

• Supports Hingham’s goal of attaining net zero carbon emissions by 2040.
• Encourages electrification, the primary global strategy for attaining net zero.
• With incentives & lower operating expenses, all-electric costs less than mixed fuel.
• Provides consumer protection for future electrification via low-cost prewiring.
• Required for Hingham to be included in the new Climate Leaders program recently initiated by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER).
• Climate Leaders get enhanced access to MA climate-related grant funding.

4. What Will Happen If Hingham Does Not Opt-in?

• New houses will continue to be built with a dependency on fossil fuels.
• In 2022/2023, of 48 newly built homes, 47 were equipped with fossil fuel HVAC.
• If not addressed, this trend will continue, adding several hundred homes to the thousands that must be weaned off fossil fuels by 2040.
• Future electrification of new fossil fuel-based buildings will be costly and intrusive.
• Hingham will forfeit enhanced access to seven figure climate-related grants.
• All of this will make attainment of Hingham’s net zero goal increasingly difficult.

5. Who Supports It?

• The Select Board
• The Advisory Committee
• The Hingham Climate Action Commission
• The Hingham Energy Action Committee
• Hingham Net Zero and many other groups and individuals too numerous to list.
• The 49 communities covering 30% of MA population that have already opted in.
• These include several Hingham “peer towns” – Concord, Dedham, Lexington, Milton, Needham, Wellesley, Weston and Winchester.

Here is the link to the Opt-in Specialized Code page on our ZeroCarbonMA website.

Now it’s up to us. Let’s join peer communities that have already adopted this code by voting YES at April 28 th Town Meeting on the Opt-in Specialized Code warrant article!

(Please note: the Specialized Code is #39 of 46 articles on the 2025 Town Meeting Warrant and may end up getting deferred to a second convening on April 29th . Please monitor the Town website and have a contingency plan to vote at a possible second night.)