Massachusetts Sierra Club Celebrates the Passage of Boston Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance Regulations

The Wu administration is allocating $3.5 million to support building decarbonization in environmental justice communities

BOSTON, MA. –  On Wednesday, the City of Boston’s Air Pollution Control Commission adopted the final set of regulations for the Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO), concluding the regulation development process. This process follows the passage of the ordinance in the fall of 2021. BERDO regulates the emissions reduction of  buildings that are 20,000 square feet or larger, or contain 15+ units, with the end goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Methods of compliance include energy efficiency improvements, switching to clean, efficient and electric heating systems, or fossil fuel free systems, purchasing clean energy, and/or making alternative compliance payments into the Equitable Emissions Investment Fund.

With buildings in Boston accounting for nearly seventy percent of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions, and BERDO buildings alone being responsible for over 40% of the emissions, the passage of these regulations is a critical step in significantly reducing climate pollution and achieving the city’s climate goals. 

One of the aspects that makes the policy particularly unique is the structure of the Community Review Board, containing two-thirds members nominated by local community based organizations, serving as a mechanism of accountability. The Community Review Board is responsible for approving flexibility measures, deciding how to spend the Equitable Emissions Investment Fund, proposing updates to the carbon emissions standards and Alternative Compliance Payments, enforcing the ordinance and issuing penalties, among others. 

The inclusion of an Equitable Investment Fund is another measure which propels this policy into the forward-thinking on building decarbonization. The Equitable Emissions Investment Fund is established to support emission reduction projects that prioritize air quality improvements, reduced energy burden, housing stabilization, workforce development and access to green jobs, and clean energy installations in environmental justice communities. The Wu administration announced that they will jumpstart the fund with $3.5 million to support building decarbonization and compliance in environmental justice communities.

In 2024, the city will move into the implementation phase of the policy with the first year of emissions reporting from large buildings due in 2025.

In response, Sierra Club Massachusetts Boston Lead Organizer, Michele Brooks issued the following statement:

“We are excited to celebrate the adoption of the BERDO regulations, and thrilled by the news of the $3.5 million investment in the Equitable Emissions Investment Fund. This is a historic policy with the inclusion of a Community Review Board holding decision making authority, in addition to the investments in air pollution mitigation, green job creation, and more which will be aided by the fund. Additional attention is needed to ensure that the policy protects residents from displacement. We remain committed to working with the city and other partners to accomplish this, in addition to ensuring that the policy produces tangible benefits in environmental justice communities throughout implementation.”