Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 225 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RESOURCES › Title 225 CMR 24.00 - Municipal Fossil Fuel Free Building Construction and Renovation Demonstration Project › Section 24.02 - Definitions

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
Comparable Municipalities
.
				Municipalities designated by the Department for data collection and reporting
				purposes that share similar relevant characteristics to Participating
				Communities.
Demonstration Project
. Not more than
				ten cities or towns as approved by the Department pursuant to
				225 CMR
				24.00 that may, notwithstanding M.G.L. c. 40A, §
				13, M.G.L. chs. 142, 164 any other general or special law to the contrary,
				adopt and amend general or zoning ordinances or by-laws that require new
				building construction or Major Renovation projects to be fossil fuel-free, and
				enforce restrictions and prohibitions on new building construction and Major
				Renovation projects that are not fossil fuel-free, including through the
				withholding or conditioning of building permits.
DHCD
. The Massachusetts Department of
				Housing and Community Development, as established by M.G.L. c. 23B.
Department
. The Massachusetts
				Department of Energy Resources, as established by M.G.L. c. 25A.
Fossil Fuel-free
. As defined by a city
				or town to include, but not be limited to, an entire building or entire
				condominium unit that does not, in support of its operation after construction,
				utilize coal, oil, natural gas, other fuel hydrocarbons, including synthetic
				equivalents, or other fossil fuels.
Home Rule Petition
. A petition
				submitted to the General Court pursuant to Amendments to the Constitution of
				the Commonwealth, art. 89, § 8.
Hospitals or Medical Offices
. A
				facility licensed or approved by the Department of Public Health to provide
				health care, including clinics licensed as health care facilities and
				facilities that provide substance use disorder treatment services, including
				outpatient withdrawal management, opioid treatment programs, office-based
				opioid treatment programs, acute treatment services (inpatient detoxification),
				and clinical stabilization services.
Local Approval
. By a majority vote of
				the:
(a) city council with the approval
			 of the mayor in the case of a city with a mayor elected to serve as the chief
			 executive officer of the city;
(b)
			 city council in every other city;
(c) annual town meeting or a special town
			 meeting called for that purpose in the case of a municipality with a town
			 meeting form of government; or
(d)
			 town council in the case of a municipality with a town council form of
			 government.
Major Renovation
. Major renovation is
				defined as:
(a) low-rise residential
			 additions over 1,000 square feet and additions exceeding 100% of the
			 conditioned floor area of the existing dwelling unit;
(b) additions over 20,000 square feet and
			 additions that exceed 100% of the conditioned floor areas of the existing
			 building for all building use types except low-rise residential;
(c) Level 3 Alterations as defined in the
			 International Existing Building Code (IEBC 2021) (which exceed 50% of the
			 existing conditioned floor area) exceeding 1,000 square feet for low rise
			 residential, or exceeding 20,000 square feet for all other building
			 uses;
(d) Change of use of over
			 1,000 square feet per International Energy Conservation Code (IECC 2021) §
			 R505; or
(e) change of use of over
			 20,000 square feet or change of use of 100% of the conditioned floor areas of
			 the existing building for all building use types except low-rise residential,
			 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC 2021) § C505.
Participating Community
. A city of
				town approved by the Department for participation in the Demonstration
				Project.
Prioritized Community
. One of the
				first ten communities to file a home rule petition with the general court and
				listed in
				225
				CMR 24.03(1); provided,
				however, that a city or town that submits a letter of withdrawal pursuant to
				225
				CMR 24.03(2)  shall no
				longer be considered a Prioritized Community.
Process Load
. Energy demand in
				commercial or industrial buildings that is not covered by the Massachusetts
				building energy code.
Research Laboratories for Scientific or Medical
				Research
. A building where a laboratory procedure or research
				activity occurs, where the building has an average ventilation at full
				occupancy greater than 0.5 cfm/sf. Such buildings shall provide the ventilation
				design documentation described in
				225 CMR
				23.00:
Massachusetts Front-end Amendments to
				the International Energy Conservation Code 2021 Massachusetts Stretch Energy
				Code - 2023 Commercial Amendments to IECC2021
, § C103.2 at the
				time of building permitting.
Substitute Community
. A city or town
				that applies to the Department for participation in the Demonstration Project
				that is not a Prioritized Community listed in
				225
				CMR
				24.03(1).