Worcester No Longer Seeking Pause On Specialized Stretch Code

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester is no longer pursuing a pause on enforcement of the state’s Specialized Stretch Energy Code, City Manager Eric D. Batista announced Monday following discussions with state officials.

“Following further discussion with state officials, the municipality is no longer seeking a pause to the specialized stretch code,” Batista said in the statement. “No action can be taken until three years after the effective date of the policy.”

Batista said he is recommending the City Council file the matter at its meeting Tuesday night, Apr. 28.

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What the Specialized Stretch Code Means

The Specialized Stretch Energy Code is an optional, stricter building standard created by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources as part of the state’s climate law.

It primarily applies to new construction and is designed to push buildings to be more energy-efficient and to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Compared to the standard “stretch code,” the specialized version requires new buildings that use fossil fuels to be pre-wired for future full building electrification and Solar PV, in most cases, according to the city.

Worcester adopted the specialized stretch code in 2023, with enforcement beginning in July 2024.

Worcester said the opt-in code helps the city meet its commitments to become the greenest mid-sized city in the country and become a net-zero city by 2045 per the Green Worcester Plan.

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Why a Pause Was Considered

City officials and some developers have raised concerns about how the stricter code affects housing development, particularly amid rising construction costs and a need for more housing supply.

Earlier this year, Batista recommended exploring a pause to better understand the code’s impact on the local building market, according to a Spectrum News 1report.

Batista told Spectrum News last week that the purpose of the pause would be to "analyze the inflation costs, analyze the costs related to building these units," and see if it can be paused until Jan. 1, 2028.

But now, according to Batista’s latest statement, state rules prevent Worcester from pausing or changing its participation in the specialized code until three years after the code's effective date, meaning the city cannot pause at this time.

As a result, the administration is now recommending that the council simply file the item.

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