Application & Agreement Form

Instruction Steps

1. Obtain information and pre-qualify by calling 800-628-8413 or emailing massenergystarhomes@icfi.com.
2. View the list of HERS rating companies. Choose a HERS rating company to work with and directly contact them prior to signing this Agreement. The rater chosen will work with the applicant throughout construction and conduct project site visits and testing.
3. Electronically submit the Agreement below to ICF International. For branded material and logo use, and a listing on the national Web site, a National Partnership Agreement Form also must be submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at www.energystar.gov/homespa.
4. Your chosen HERS rater will submit incentives on your behalf and you will receive an email outlining the incentives you will receive.
5. Following final inspection, designated recipients will receive incentive check(s) for homes that qualify from the Program Sponsors. The Sponsors of the Massachusetts New Homes with ENERGY STAR are Bay State Gas, Berkshire Gas, Cape Light Compact, National Grid Gas & Electric, New England Gas, NSTAR Electric and NSTAR Gas, and Western Massachusetts Electric Company.

Eligibility Requirements

• Homes can be individual or master metered electric and gas and will be eligible for additional Program incentives based on heat type requirements. Multi-family units sharing a master meter are eligible for participation, but under the multi-family guidelines.

• When applying for COOL SMART rebates, evidence that an evaporator, condensing unit, and furnace is properly matched cooling system according to an AHRI product certification reference number must be provided to your HERS rater.

• Single-family units are defined as either detached or up to and including four attached units. Five or more attached units are classified as multi-family. A multi-family project must be five stories or below to qualify and be residentially permitted. Mixed-use (Residential/C&I) Buildings may participate if they are permitted in the commercial use group as long as they fall within the EPA's policy on qualifying units in multi-family buildings.

• Must have a bath fan rated for continuous use <1.5 ones and controlled by a 24-hour programmable timer or equivalent mechanical ventilation system.

• Homes with HVAC ducted systems have a leakage rate at or below 6% CFM to outdoors per 100 sq. ft. of conditioned floor area

• Proof of utilization of Manual J as outlined in ENERGY STAR performance path guidelines for proper sizing of equipment must be provided to the HERS Rater.

• Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) must be installed in at least 80% of all hard wired, screw based fixtures in the home and verified by a HERS Rater during final inspection.

• All ENERGY STAR homes must include the following:

  • ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances (refrigerator and dishwasher), if installed by builder prior to final inspection.
  • Installed heating and domestic hot water systems must generate positive energy savings. Consult with a HERS rater for details.
  • A Thermal Expansion Valve (TXV) or Electronic Expansion Valve (EXV) is required on all cooling systems.

Incentive Guidelines

• The submission of this Application does not guarantee receipt of incentives. Written approval from the Program will state the number of incentives awarded, and incentives will not be paid for any homes and measures installed prior to home testing and verification.

• The incentives awarded are to assist in the defrayment of certification cost to the applicant and help cover some of the incremental costs, if applicable. The applicant may need to contribute to the construction costs of achieving ENERGY STAR. Sponsors pay the HERS Rating Company a fixed certification fee for verifying a home earns the ENERGY STAR. Any certification fee balance is the sole responsibility of the Participant and should be paid directly to the HERS Rating Company. 

• Participants who receive equipment incentives through the Program are not eligible to receive them directly through COOL SMART and GasNetworks.

• Incentive payments are directly tied to a home’s actual energy Performance. Any changes to the design or specifications of the units may result in a reduction or loss of incentive(s).

• Incentives associated with this Agreement are covered for homes built in the service territory of the electric Sponsor. For homes built in an area serviced by a municipal electric company, and heated by natural gas, incentives will be paid by the appropriate gas utility Sponsor.

• The Program will provide GasNetworks incentives to non-master metered gas and natural gas heated units only. Propane systems do not apply.

• Equipment incentives requested through the Program for GasNetworks and COOL SMART, must follow the Customer Eligibility & Requirements defined by GasNetworks and COOL SMART.

• Sponsors, its agents, and employees do not warrant the performance of installed or serviced equipment expressly or implicitly.  Program sponsor make no warranties or representation of any kind whether statutory, expressed or implied, including without limitations, warranties or merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose regarding the HVAC equipment or services provided by a manufacturer or vendor.  Contact your contractor details regarding equipment performance or warranties.

Additional Information

• In order for a project to be labeled as ENERGY STAR, all minimum national ENERGY STAR guidelines must be met.

• Participation in the Massachusetts New Homes with ENERGY STAR Program is voluntary on behalf of the Sponsors and the applicants. The Sponsors have the right to change or modify the existing Program at any time. The Sponsors of the Program, its agents, and employees are indemnified against all loss, damage, expense, and liability resulting from injury to or death of persons, and against all injury to property arising out of or in any way connected with the performance of this Agreement.

• The Energy Efficiency Program Provider (EEPP) is entitled to 100% of the energy benefits associated with the Energy Cost Measurements, excluding the value of energy cost savings realized by the customer, but including all rights to all associated ISO-NE Energy Capacity and Reserves Products, and the customer agrees to provide the EEPP with such further documentation as the EEPP may request to confirm the EEPP’s ownership of such benefits and products.

Contact Information

*The Applicant’s electronic signature serves in place of a written signature and validates that the applicant has read and agreed to all terms

MA New Homes with ENERGY STAR  c/o ICF
33 Hayden Avenue, 3rd Floor Lexington, MA 02421
P: 800-628-8413   F: 781-676-4061 Email: massenergystarhomes@icfi.com
www.massenergystarhomes.com