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Lowell sustainability council to gather stakeholder input before backing specialized stretch code
Summary
Council members agreed to solicit feedback from housing, development and community groups and to dedicate the June meeting to a focused discussion before deciding whether to send a letter supporting adoption of the specialized stretch code.
At a May meeting of the Lowell Sustainability Council, members agreed to gather citywide stakeholder feedback before taking a formal position on adopting a specialized stretch code for new construction and major renovations.
Council members said the specialized stretch code would set a higher energy-performance standard for new buildings than the state baseline and that adoption could position Lowell for state climate programs but might raise construction costs. Members asked staff to collect input from housing advocates, local developers, nonprofit groups and the Department of Energy Resources before recommending a letter of support to the city.
The council described the specialized stretch code as an optional, higher tier building-energy standard that would apply to new construction and to certain renovations; existing buildings would be grandfathered. Members discussed trade-offs between long-term energy savings and near-term construction costs, and identified affordable-housing advocates and municipal contractors as key constituencies to consult.
Participants outlined next steps: compile materials and stakeholder questions, invite a DOER regional coordinator and representatives of groups such as 350 Mass and Coalition for a Better Acre to brief the council, and make the specialized stretch code the theme of the June meeting so the council can review outreach results and, if warranted, draft a recommendation to the sustainability division.
The council did not vote to send a letter at the meeting. Instead members requested targeted outreach, a matrix of comparisons with other municipalities that have adopted the code, and information about available incentives and estimated incremental construction costs so the group can assess affordability impacts for locally supported housing projects.
Council members also suggested tracking related programs such as the state "climate leader community" recognition, which may unlock grant opportunities for municipalities that adopt measures like the specialized stretch code.
