Sustainable Building Design Guidelines
These design guidelines are intended for residential and mixed-use retrofit or new development projects. The guidelines serve as part of a toolkit for advancing the stock of energy-efficient, affordable, and resilient living spaces. Housing developers should use these guidelines, in tandem with local ordinances and state building codes, in coordination with local building and sustainability departments. The guidelines should be considered for all new construction; however, they will be closely considered for projects that are applying for a Special Permit for density incentives allowed in the BA-1 & BA-2 Districts, Melrose Zoning Ordinance (MZO) Section 235-66. These guidelines were developed by MAPC in collaboration with the cities of Melrose, Malden, and Medford with input from community members through a series of interviews, focus groups, and workshops. The project was funded by a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Action Grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.