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Building Decarbonization Advisor Program

The City of Boston’s Environment Department has launched the Building Decarbonization Advisor Program (BDAP) to help BERDO building owners reduce energy emissions and meet BERDO requirements.

applications are currently closed.
applications for cohort 5 are expected to open in fall 2026.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance, or BERDO, is a local law aimed at reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from large buildings in Boston. BERDO requires building owners to report their yearly energy and water use. Depending on their size, BERDO buildings are required to comply with emissions standards beginning in either 2025 or 2030.

To help building owners comply with BERDO, the City of Boston created the Building Decarbonization Advisor Program (BDAP). This program connects building owners with experts hired by the City of Boston to develop long-term decarbonization plans. We know that improving  buildings can be a long process, especially for owners and operators with limited resources. The City of Boston is here to help. 

Eligibility

You may be eligible to receive assistance through BDAP if you own property that fits one of following criteria.

  1.  Residential buildings (15 or more units) that meet at least one of the following:
    • Condominiums, with a preference for those with a majority of units assessed value of less than $1,000,000 per unit   
    • Rental building in an Environmental Justice neighborhood
    • Rental building with Section 8 tenants or below market rents (as determined by maximum affordable rents for 100% AMI)
    • Residential buildings with at least 50% of residents at or below 80% AMI Deed restricted affordable housing
  2.  Non-residential (or mixed-use) buildings (20,000 square feet or larger) located in an environmental justice neighborhood, that are either:
    • Owned by a small business
    • Owned by a nonprofit

Program Offerings

Through BDAP, awardees are paired with vetted building science professionals to develop Zero-Over-Time (ZOT) plans. These are long-term decarbonization plans that set a clear pathway to progressively reduce a building’s greenhouse gas emissions, comply with BERDO, and reach net-zero emissions by 2050.  ZOT plans usually include recommendations for energy saving upgrades, electrification opportunities, and renewable energy projects.

Developing a ZOT plan encourages you to think about your budget, your building’s energy use, its condition, and the age of equipment, while making improvements over time to lower energy use, add renewable energy, and replace old equipment with more efficient options over time.

WHAT IS A ZERO-OVER-TIME (ZOT) PLAN? 

explore sample ZOT Plans                        

How the Program Works

BDAP timeline

  • When the program opens for a new round of applicants, the BERDO Team releases an announcement across several communication channels, including newsletters, emails, and organizational partners. To receive updates, sign up for the BERDO newsletter below. 
  • Building owners or their representatives may apply by the stated deadline using the program’s application form.
  • Once the application window closes, the City reviews submissions to determine eligibility. 
  • Accepted building owners are matched with a consultant based on the consultant’s area of expertise and the specific needs of the building. This makes a cohort of participants, which is capped based on consultant capacity. Applications that are not selected may be waitlisted for consideration in future cohorts. 
  • Building owners typically work with their assigned consultant for around 4-5 months to develop their ZOT Plan. 
  • During this 4-5 month period, consultants work with the City and building owners to gather energy data and documentation, schedule site visits, and better understand the owners’ needs. 
  • High-level energy modeling and technical assessments are performed and included in the draft ZOT Plans. 
  • Consultants schedule final meetings with the building owners to review their individual plan and address any questions. That concludes the work for that cohort. 

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

The program has $1,659,990 in total funding that comes from 3 sources:

  • $659,990 - federal government’s Energy Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) 
  • $500,000 - BERDO’s Equitable Emissions Investment Fund (EEIF) 
  • $500,000 - American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)

The EECBG and EEIF funding have been used to support Zero Over Time plans. ARPA funding supported detailed engineering studies or equipment purchases for eligible participants from Cohorts 1 - 4.

Due to funding and legal restrictions, funding cannot be used for construction.

The City has procured the services of the following 4 engineering firms from January 2025 through December 2027:

  • New Ecology
  • GreenerU
  • Jaros, Baum & Bolles
  • Thornton Tomasetti 

Who's Involved:

Environment
617-635-3850
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