Building Energy Reduction and Disclosure
Note: Boston's Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance was amended in October 2021. Please visit the new Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure page to learn about the new requirements for 2022. This page contains data and reporting information up through 2021.
Buildings account for about seventy percent of greenhouse gas emissions in Boston. The Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) makes building owners, tenants, and other stakeholders more aware of their energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions, and about opportunities to reduce both. It also requires the City to make this data public.
- Reporting deadline for owners: May 15
- Disclosure deadline for the City of Boston: October 1
About the program
In 2020, BERDO required the following portfolios to report their annual energy and water usage for January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019:
- Nonresidential buildings that are 35,000 square feet or larger
- Residential buildings that are 35,000 square feet or larger, or have 35 or more units
- Any parcel with multiple buildings that sum to 100,000 square feet or 100 units
Explore the data
DataBERDO helps property owners understand how their buildings' energy performance compares to that of similar buildings nationally. They also learn, after public disclosure, how they compare to other Boston buildings.
Building energy and water data is tracked and reported to BERDO by a number of metrics.
Boston's calendar year 2020 building energy and water data, reported to BERDO in 2021.
A map showing the energy and water metrics for all reporting buildings across Boston.
Boston's calendar year 2019 building energy and water data, reported to BERDO in 2020.
Boston's calendar year 2018 building energy and water data, reported to BERDO in 2019.
Boston's calendar year 2017 building energy and water data, reported to BERDO in 2018.
Boston's calendar year 2016 building energy and water data, reported to BERDO in 2017.
Boston's calendar year 2015 building energy and water data, reported to BERDO in 2016.
Boston's calendar year 2014 building energy and water data, reported to BERDO in 2015.
View the report on first-year analysis and findings, identifying energy use patterns across building types and sectors.
Energy Action and Assessment Requirement
The Energy Action and Assessment Requirement is being phased out under the new Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance, starting in 2022.
After five years of being covered by the original BERDO, buildings were required to:
- perform major energy saving actions, or
- complete an energy assessment.
This rule encouraged buildings to improve their energy performance and reduce their emissions.
