Sustainable & Resilient Development Questionnaire
The purpose of this Questionnaire is to minimize the adverse environmental impacts in the design, construction, and occupancy of development in Somerville and to ensure that the impacts of future climate conditions are carefully evaluated. Please refer to the Development Review Sustainability Submittal Requirements on the OSE website (https://www.somervillema.gov/departments/office-sustainability-and-environment#sustainable-resilient-development-review) to determine whether your project requires a Sustainable and Resilient Development Questionnaire. Staff from the Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) will be present during projects' Pre-Submittal meeting to answer initial questions. Please contact OSE at ose@somervillema.gov if you have any questions regarding the sustainable development requirements.
Section 1: General Information
1.1 Project Name
*
1.2 Permit #
*
1.3 Project Address
*
Street Address
Street Address Line 2
City
State / Province
Postal / Zip Code
1.4 Project Applicant
*
First Name
Last Name
1.5 Applicant Email
*
example@example.com
1.6 Applicant Phone Number
*
Please enter a valid phone number.
1.7 Applicant Business Address
*
Street Address
Street Address Line 2
City
State / Province
Postal / Zip Code
Name of Case Planner
*
If not yet assigned, please put "Unknown"
1.8 Filing Type
*
Please Select
Stage 1: Site Plan Approval
Stage 2: Building Permit
Stage 3: Certificate of Occupancy
Stage 4: One Year After Certificate of Occupancy
1.9 Is this a revised questionnaire?
*
Yes
No
1.10 Is Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) approval required?
*
Yes
No
1.11 If MEPA approval is required, why? This project triggers (per section 11.03 of MEPA):
*
Land Thresholds
State-listed Species Thresholds
Wetlands, Waterways, and Tidelands Thresholds
Water Thresholds
Wastewater Thresholds
Transportation Thresholds
Energy Thresholds
Air Thresholds
Solid and Hazardous Waste Thresholds
Historical and Archaeological Resources Thresholds
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern Thresholds
Not Applicable
Back
Next
Save
Section 2: Building and Site Details
2.1 Building Type
*
Please Select
Cottage
Detached house
Semi-detached house
Duplex
Detached triple decker
Backyard cottage
Semi-detached triple decker
Multi-plex
Apartment house
Apartment building
Row houses
General building
Commercial building
Lab building
Mid-rise podium tower
Block building
Fabrication building
2.2 If you selected General Use, is the building mixed-use?
*
Yes
No
Did not select General Use
2.3 Gross Floor Area
*
Including square footage of parking areas
2.4 Expected Building Life
*
2.5 How many housing units are included in this project?
*
2.6 How many housing units will be designated affordable in this project?
*
2.7 Please describe the building heating plant and distribution system.
*
2.8 Please describe the building cooling plant and distribution system.
*
2.9 Please describe the building ventilation system.
*
2.10 Please describe the building domestic hot water system.
*
2.11 Green Building Professional Name
*
First Name
Last Name
2.12 Phone Number
*
Please enter a valid phone number.
2.13 Email
*
example@example.com
2.14 Certifications of Green Building Professional
*
2.15 Please select all green building certifications being pursued for this project.
*
LEED Gold
LEED Platinum
Passive House
Enterprise Green Communities
Not applicable
Other
2.16 Does your project have a Mobility Management Plan?
*
Yes
No
2.17 Total number of parking spaces
*
2.8 Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Ports (number of charging ports)
*
2.19 EV Charging Station Level
*
Level 2
Level 3
Other
2.20 Number of EV Ready Spaces
*
EV Ready means that there are no EV charging stations installed, but pre-wiring has been completed for installation of future stations.
Back
Next
Save
Section 3: Net Zero Building Compliance
The City of Somerville encourages projects to eliminate fossil fuels in their building operations. A net-zero carbon building is a highly energy efficient building that does not burn fossil fuels and either produces or procures enough carbon-free electricity to meet the building’s total energy demand.
3.1 Will the building be seeking the Net-Zero Density Bonus?
*
Yes
No
3.1.A To qualify for the Net Zero Density Bonus, projects must meet the requirements in the Specialized Building Code for a Net Zero Building AND be LEED Platinum Certifiable. Please confirm your understanding of these requirements.
*
I confirm that I understand these requirements
Other
3.2 If the building will not be a net-zero carbon building, provide a technical description of how the building’s systems will be transitioned over time to achieve net-zero carbon emissions, including how and when systems can be transitioned in the future to carbon-free alternatives (provide timeline including 2030, 2040, and 2050 targets). Description must include whether any remaining emissions will be offset with on-site or off-site renewables and at what quantity.
*
Changes could include, but are not limited to, the addition of on-site renewable energy generation, energy storage, additional energy efficiency measures, building electrification, or other measures that would further reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
3.3 Please explain the proposed building's electric heating/cooling system capacity and efficiency. Will these systems be electric? Provide reasoning for selection of heating and cooling systems to reduce energy usage.
*
If the project intends to incorporate fossil fuels or mixed fuels, please provide a rationale below and explain provisions that your project is taking to electrify base building systems in the future.
3.4 Please describe how the design team has integrated energy performance into the building design, site design, and engineering (including roof, foundations, walls and window assemblies, envelope performance, orientation, massing, mechanical systems, envelope, etc.) to reduce energy usage.
*
3.5 Will any renewable energy generation be incorporated into the project?
*
Yes
No
3.6 If yes, please describe system type and capacity. If no, could/will it be added in the future?
*
3.7 Will any off-site renewable energy be purchased?
*
Yes
No
3.8 Describe any and all incentives, rebates, and grants provided by utilities, government organizations, and other organizations being pursued to maximize building efficiency and to reduce emissions.
*
Description must include any incentives that were considered but are not being pursued, including reasoning for each decision.
Back
Next
Save
Section 4: Climate Change Risk and Vulnerability
4.1 Climate Vulnerability Exposure (check all that apply). Please refer to Somerville's Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and the Urban Flood Atlas for information and reference maps.
*
Sea Level Rise & Storm Surge
Precipitation Induced Flooding
Extreme Heat
Other
Section 4.1: Managing Heat Risk
Heat Exposure risk maps can be found on pages 105 and 106 of Somerville’s Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment.
4.1.1 Describe all building features that will keep building occupants safe and comfortable during extreme heat, including mechanical systems and non-mechanical design elements to cool building (orientation, envelope, operable windows, etc.).
*
4.1.2 How has increased demand for indoor cooling been factored into the building design and energy management strategy?
*
4.1.3 List any indoor spaces without cooling and their uses.
*
4.1.4 What design features will be implemented on site to minimize the site’s contribution to the urban heat island effect? Please describe any and all design elements.
*
Strategies could include, but are not limited to, the following: High albedo pavement or roof materials, Passive cooling or increased ventilation capacity, green roofs or walls, heat resistant trees and plants, and additional landscaped areas.
Section 4.2: Managing Flood Risk
High resolution GIS maps are available through the Urban Flood Atlas at www.somervillezoning.com/developmentreview
4.2.1 Is the site susceptible to flooding from sea level rise and storm surge and/or rain events now or during the building's expected lifetime? Please refer to the Somerville Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Urban Flood Atlas.
*
Yes, sea level rise/storm surge
Yes, precipitation induced flooding
Yes, sea level rise, storm surge, and precipitation induced flooding
No
4.2.2 Proposed Site Elevation - Low (in feet)
*
4.2.3 Proposed Site Elevation - High (in feet)
*
4.2.4 Lowest Elevation of Life-Safety Systems (in feet)
*
4.2.5 Proposed First Floor Elevation (in feet)
*
4.2.6 Nearest flood depth for the 2070 10-year storm
*
4.2.7 Nearest flood depth for the 2070 100-year storm
*
4.2.8 What are the first-floor uses of the building?
*
4.2.9 Are there any below ground stories of the building?
*
Yes
No
4.2.10 If yes, what uses are located below ground?
*
4.2.11 Are there any flood-sensitive assets, utilities, mechanical equipment, or life-safety systems located in areas of the building that are at risk of flooding?
*
Yes
No
4.2.12 If yes, what measures will protect building systems during a flood or severe storm?
*
These might include, but may not be limited to, the following: elevation of utilities and mechanical systems, watertight utility conduits, wastewater back flow prevention, stormwater back flow prevention, systems located above the ground floor, securing objects at risk of becoming dislodged, etc.
4.2.13 Residential and commercial buildings should be designed to maintain regular operations during a 10-year storm in 2070. Describe how the site and building have been designed to maintain regular operations - meaning all systems will remain operational and all occupied spaces are protected from flooding - during the 2070 100-year storm. Please refer to both the 2070 coastal flood probability map and the 2070 100-year storm and 1-year sea level rise scenario.
*
Resilience measures might include, but may not be limited to, the following: elevation of the site, structural elevation of the building, non-structural elevation of the ground floor, energy storage and backup generation, wet flood-proofing (allowing water to flow through building envelope), dry flood-proofing (preventing water from entering building).
4.2.14 How will your site and building be designed to protect against the impacts of the 2070 100-year, 24-hour storm? Please evaluate impact based on both the 2070 coastal flood depth model for the 100-year storm and the 2070 100-year, 100-year sea level rise model. Summarize anticipated pre- and post-event policies, strategies, and actions necessary to facilitate post-flood recovery.
*
Residential buildings should be designed to allow occupants to shelter in place during a catastrophic storm (100-year event) today and in the future. This means all life-safety systems should be above the 2070 100-year flood elevation.
4.2.15 Will hazardous or toxic material be stored on site?
*
Yes
No
4.2.16 If yes, how will you protect hazardous or toxic material from flooding?
*
4.2.17 Will the site be accessible by a typical vehicle during a 10-year event (up to 6 inches of water) and by emergency vehicles (up to 12 inches of water) during a 100-year event?
Yes
No
Back
Next
Save
Section 5: Eversource Confirmation
This is the final section of this questionnaire. Questionnaire's will not be reviewed or accepted without the below confirmation. Electric plans from Eversource are not accepted for this item.
5.1 For buildings with more than four units or a gross floor area greater than 7,000 square feet, including parking: Per Eversource Information and Requirements for Electric Service, single phase services greater than 400amps or any 3-phase service requires private property transformation. Additionally, any building with more than four units requires Eversource review to determine the need for private property transformation. If your building is within these thresholds: Reach out to Eversource at 888-633-3797 to discuss your electrical service needs. Request, via email from Eversource, confirmation if private property transformation will be required. Attach a PDF of the email chain to this submission.
*
Browse Files
Drag and drop files here
Choose a file
Electrical plans from Eversource will not be accepted.
Cancel
of
Save
Submit
Should be Empty: