Navigating Cambridge’s Building-Sector Energy and Emissions Requirements

The City of Cambridge, Mass., is beginning to implement its Building Energy Use Disclosure Ordinance (BEUDO). The law seeks to drive substantial building-sector greenhouse gas reductions, which Cambridge identifies as accounting for 80% of the city’s emissions. BEUDO includes requirements for certain building owners to track, report, and reduce energy-related emissions to support net-zero emissions objectives.

Who Is Covered & Core Requirements

BEUDO applies to “covered properties”—parcels that contain one or more buildings meeting size or use criteria:

• Non-residential properties ≥ 100,000 sf: required to report energy and water use annually and start reducing emissions by 2026 on a trajectory to net-zero by 2035;
• Non-residential properties 25,000 – 99,999 sf: required to report energy and water use annually and begin reducing emissions by 2030, with a path to net-zero by 2050;
• Residential properties with 50 or more units: required to report energy and water use annually but do not currently have mandated emissions reduction requirements.

Emissions Baseline

Non-residential property owners must establish an emissions baseline.  This becomes the starting point against which the city will measure achievement of emissions reductions.  The city provides a methodology for calculating the baseline—which generally must reflect average emissions from two consecutive years between 2010– and 2019—and a qualified third-party must verify the data.

Configuration

All covered property owners are also required to identify the configuration that establishes which buildings are grouped together so they are treated as a single covered property—a critical input in determining reporting directives, baselines, and future emission reduction requirements.

What’s Next

• Emissions reduction compliance begins for the largest non-residential buildings in 2026, with progressively tighter performance targets in future years.
• BEUDO implementation is in the final stages of a phased rulemaking process, and the city is on track to finalize regulations in 2026.
• In 2026, the city will stand up a BEUDO Review Board, a nine-member body that the City Manager appoints to oversee implementation of the ordinance, including reviewing hardship and deferral applications and requests for alternative compliance pathways.

Experience Makes The Difference

Our team has first-hand, longstanding experience working with the City of Cambridge and implementing the city’s rules and regulations.  Through this work and key relationships, we can help you:

• Navigate BEUDO’s regulations and procedures, understand compliance obligations.
• Prepare applications for relief before the BEUDO Review Board.
• Foster relationships with city officials and business leaders.  
• Identify advocacy opportunities as the city considers further changes to BEUDO to align development interests with city decarbonization priorities.