Boston releases latest building energy metrics on Open Data Hub

Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced today the latest release of data through the Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO). The energy metrics for large- and medium-sized buildings are available on Analyze Boston, the City’s open data hub, and through an interactive map that Boston residents can use to see their building energy and water usage.

“This first step in reducing energy use is knowing how much you already consume,” said Mayor Walsh. “We’re working with buildings to help them understand how they can achieve savings by comparing their footprint to others, and I encourage all Bostonians to do the same. ”

This is the third year of public disclosure. Over 1,800 large- and medium-sized properties are now sharing their energy and water use. Buildings track and report their energy and water use through the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, which Analyze Boston adds to its open data hub.

“We see open data as a great platform for sharing knowledge,” said the City of Boston’s Chief Data Officer Andrew Therriault. “We hope making this data readily available will encourage commercial and residential building owners to explore ways to reduce their energy use and costs.”

View latest data on Analyze Boston

Map of Boston's energy and water usage

Buildings account for nearly three quarters of greenhouse gas emissions in Boston and thus play a critical role in achieving the goals laid out in the City’s Climate Action Plan. By providing better information on building energy use, owners and tenants can become more aware of their energy use, costs, and carbon emissions - offering opportunities to reduce all three.

“BERDO data disclosure has been the metric by which our practitioner community measures progress in the built environment,” said Celis Brisbin, Acting Executive Director of the U.S. Green Building Council - Massachusetts Chapter. “As we continue to advance on our emissions targets, BERDO and the data-driven solutions which come of it will inform the action we take as a proactive community.”

This is the last year of phasing in implementation of BERDO, and all buildings in Boston greater than 35,000 square feet should be reporting. The next step required by the ordinance is for buildings to show that they are making progress in cutting their carbon emissions. Buildings can comply with the requirement in several ways, including showing a 15 percent reduction in their energy usage or performing an energy audit that provides recommendations for cost-effective measures to cut carbon emissions.

Boston enacted the Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) in 2013, requiring large buildings to report their annual energy and water use to the City. In 2017 the requirements apply to all non-residential buildings greater than 35,000 square feet and all residential buildings that are 35,000 square feet or larger or have 35 or more units. Any tax parcel with multiple buildings that sum to 100,000 square feet or 100 units or more must also comply. The ordinance also requires the City to make the information public.