REScheck & COMcheck Massachusetts

REScheck is a DOE-supported compliance tool used for residential envelope compliance calculations. It is generally used for detached one- and two-family homes and multifamily buildings up to three stories above grade. It simplifies residential energy code documentation by helping calculate insulation and window trade-offs through a building envelope compliance report.

In practical terms, REScheck is often used when a builder or homeowner needs a clear residential code compliance document showing that the walls, roof, floors, slab, and windows meet the required energy standard. It is especially useful when the project does not follow every prescriptive value exactly and needs an envelope trade-off approach.

• New residential construction that needs energy code documentation
• Additions or alterations where residential envelope compliance must be shown
• Projects where window and insulation values vary and need a trade-off calculation
• Permit sets that need a simple residential compliance report for the building department
• Homes that are not going through a full HERS performance path but still need envelope compliance documentation

COMcheck is a DOE-supported compliance tool used for commercial energy code documentation. It can be used to calculate compliance for the commercial building envelope, interior and exterior lighting, mechanical systems, and service water heating, depending on the project scope and compliance path.

For commercial jobs, tenant spaces, mixed-use projects, and other non-residential work, COMcheck is commonly used to create a report that supports plan review and inspection documentation. It helps organize the energy code side of the job in a format that is easier for teams and building officials to review.

• Commercial new construction that needs energy code compliance documentation
• Tenant fit-outs and alterations where commercial envelope, lighting, or mechanical work is being reviewed
• Mixed-use or non-residential spaces where a residential REScheck would not apply
• Projects that need a clear code report for plan review, permit approval, or inspection support
• Commercial jobs where lighting power, mechanical efficiency, or service water heating must be documented

Massachusetts uses the 2021 IECC with state amendments and also has specialized/stretch pathways tied to 2021 IECC-based amendments. That means builders often need the right documentation path for the actual project type and municipality. Some projects are better suited to a REScheck envelope report, while others need a COMcheck report or a performance-based path such as a HERS rating.

The right compliance document depends on whether the project is residential or commercial, what work is being done, and how the jurisdiction wants the energy code shown. Choosing the wrong path can slow permit approval and create unnecessary revisions.

1. Project review: We review whether the job is residential or commercial and identify the right compliance path.
2. Data collection: We gather the insulation, window, lighting, mechanical, and other required specifications.
3. Compliance report: We prepare the REScheck or COMcheck documentation based on the project type.
4. Testing coordination: If blower door testing, duct leakage testing, or HERS verification is needed, we coordinate that too.
5. Final support: We provide the report and help support the project through permit review and final approval.

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