Last updated: 7/16/24

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?

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.

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.

↗ Explore each of the different flexibility measures

↗ Start your application by visiting the Flexibility Measures Application Homepage

DEADLINES FOR FLEXIBILITY MEASURE APPLICATIONS

July 1, 2024*

▸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.

September 1

▸Building Portfolio application deadline.

▸Individual Compliance Schedule application deadline.

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

October 1

▸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.

*After July 1, 2024, long-term Hardship Compliance Plan applications are due April 1 to be in effect the following year.

↗ 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.

ATTENTION: The Fund is now open. Apply by Wednesday, July 31, 2024, 5 p.m.

Equitable Emissions Investment Fund

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

BERDO Resources

Resources

Review Board 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

BERDO Reporting

↗ BERDO reporting instructions, how-to guides, and forms are available online to assist you in your reporting process.

Retrofit Resource Hub

↗ The Retrofit Resource Hub is a one-stop shop for building owners, tenants, and contractors who want to know more about technical and financial resources available for retrofitting.

BERDO Regulations Development

↗ BERDO regulations development on Phase III topics have officially wrapped as of December, 2023. Thank you for your engagement in this process, your involvement has greatly improved BERDO.

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

Launch map tool