Last updated: 12/10/24

BERDO Review Board

The Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) Review Board works to ensure the equitable implementation of BERDO, the City's initiative to get large buildings to net zero emissions by 2050.

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what is berdo?

2025 public hearing dates
Have questions? Contact us:
Email us
617-635-1732
1 City Hall Square, Room 709

Boston, MA 02201

About the Review Board

The BERDO Review Board is a nine-member independent board of volunteers. They oversee the implementation of BERDO and work to ensure environmental justice communities benefit from BERDO decarbonization efforts.

Of the nine members who comprise the board:

▸ Six must be nominated by a community-based organization,

▸ Two may be nominated by any individual or organization, including self-nomination, and

▸ One is reserved for the Chair of the Boston City Council's Environmental Justice, Resiliency, and Parks Committee, or their designee.

↗ To learn more read the Review Board Quick Guide

The Review Board has authority to:

Review, accept, or deny applications for flexibility measures.
Grant funding decisions for the Equitable Emissions Investment Fund.
Issue notice of violations subject to penalties.
Recommend updates to BERDO regulations and policies.

Flexibility Measures

BERDO offers building owners the opportunity to apply for different flexibility measures. Those that require approval by the Review Board are:

▸ Building Portfolios: Group your BERDO buildings into a Building Portfolio and comply with a portfolio-level Blended Emissions Standard.

▸ Individual Compliance Schedules: Create a customized emissions reduction timeline based on your own historical emissions. To submit an application, fill out and submit an application form via the BERDO Application Homepage.

▸ Hardship Compliance Plans: Demonstrate eligible technical or financial hardships for you or your building(s) and request an alternative emissions reduction timeline and/or more flexible emissions reduction targets. Read the application guide and FAQs for more information.

↗ Explore each of the different flexibility measures

↗ Start your application by visiting the Flexibility Measures Application Homepage

↗ To learn more read the BERDO Guidance on Building Portfolio and ICS applications.

DEADLINES FOR FLEXIBILITY MEASURE APPLICATIONS

October 1, 2024*

▸Short-term Hardship Compliance Plan application deadline.

↗ To submit: review the Hardship Compliance Plan application guides and submit your application packet by emailing it to BerdoReviewBoard@boston.gov.

January 6, 2025**

▸Building Portfolio application deadline.

▸Individual Compliance Schedule application deadline.

↗ To submit: fill out and submit an application form via the BERDO Application Homepage.

↗ To learn more read the BERDO guidance on Building Portfolio and ICS applications.

April 1, 2025

▸Long-term Hardship Compliance Plan application deadline.

↗ To submit: review the Hardship Compliance Plan application guides and submit your application packet by emailing it to BerdoReviewBoard@boston.gov.

*Short-term Hardship Compliance Plan applications are being accepted on a rolling basis after October 1, 2024. If you've explored other compliance options and determined that a Short-term Hardship Compliance Plan is necessary for 2025 emissions compliance, please submit your application as soon as possible. Earlier submission can provide greater certainty for your planning.

**This deadline is for the 2025 emissions compliance year only.

↗ View all Flexibility Measures Application Timelines

Equitable Emissions Investment Fund

The Fund

The Fund is a new fund created under BERDO. Money from the Fund can be used for the support, implementation, and administration of local building carbon abatement projects.

Equitable Emissions Investment Fund

The Review Board has released up to $750,000 for this year's application cycle, which closed on July 31. Please check back...

BERDO Resources

Resources

Asset Library

Forms and templates for flexibility applications and other key BERDO procedures

Forms and Templates

BUILDING PORTFOLIOS

↗ TEMPLATE FOR BUILDING PORTFOLIO BLENDED EMISSIONS STANDARD

INDIVIDUAL COMPLIANCE SCHEDULES (ICS)

↗ template for ics calculation

HARDSHIP COMPLIANCE PLANS (HCP)

↗ application guide & FAQ

↗ Compliance Cost Calculator template

↗ english Template for Notice of HCP Hearing

↗ translated templates for notice of HCP hearing

↗ boston neighborhoods by languages

APPEAL FORMS

↗ appeal forms for review board decisions

↗ appeal Newspaper ad template

Review Board Working Groups

Meeting minutes and membership of BERDO Working Groups

Commercial real estate

The Commercial Real Estate Working Group meets to discuss topics and potential issues that arise for the commercial real estate industry in relation to the Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance.

↗ Working Group Members and Meeting Minutes

Healthcare Institutions Connected to district energy systems

The Healthcare Institutions Connected to District Energy Systems Working Group meets to discuss topics and potential issues that arise for healthcare institutions in relation to the Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance.

↗ Working Group members and Meeting Minutes

Other Resources

Other BERDO websites and resources

↗ BERDO reporting instructions, how-to guides, and forms

↗ The Retrofit Resource Hub

↗ BERDO regulations development

Learn how to use the BERDO Environmental Justice map tool with this How-to-guide.

Launch map tool