Take Action if Your Building May Be Out of Compliance With BERDO

Visit the ↗ BERDO Emissions Calculator to view your estimated emissions, emissions limits, and potential Alternative Compliance Payments by entering your building address. 

The estimates displayed in the BERDO Emissions Calculator are based on your latest reporting data and do not currently account for renewable energy purchases, enrollment in Boston Community Choice Electricity (BCCE), opting into a blended emissions standards, and other flexibility measures.

In order to determine your building’s actual 2025 emissions compliance status, you must first report your 2025 total energy usage and complete the third-party verification process (↗ BERDO Reporting How-To Guide). We encourage you to complete these processes as soon as possible, so you can take action early if your building exceeds its emissions standard.

If you have reported your energy data to BERDO, you can ↗ sign up for a free virtual BERDO building consultation, where a BERDO team member can walk you through your building’s emissions projections and BERDO compliance options.

We also offer In-person support at our BERDO workshops. ↗ RSVP now to save your spot at one our upcoming workshops:

• Wednesday, April 8 from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. at Allston-Brighton CDC (18R Shepard Street, Suite 100 in Brighton, 02135)
• Tuesday, May 5 from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. at the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building (2300 Washington St, Roxbury, MA 02119)

You still have time to evaluate if your building may benefit from a flexibility measure. Flexibility Measures available to you include:

• Blended Emissions Standard: If your building has more than one primary use, you will be able to opt-in for this measure via the BERDO Reporting Portal soon.
• Building Portfolio: If you own more than one building subject to BERDO, apply by September 1, 2026.
• Individual Compliance Schedule: If you have historic energy data and you would like a customized emissions reduction timeline based on your historic emissions,  apply by September 1, 2026.
• Short-Term Hardship Compliance Plan: If you are facing technical and/or financial hardship meeting emissions standards, apply by September 1, 2026.
• Streamlined Short-Term Hardship Compliance Plan: if your building is deed-restricted affordable housing, a residential condo building with below-average assessed unit values and/or low-income residents, a rental building with below-average rents and/or low-income tenants, a small business, or a small non-profit, ↗ apply via this simplified Google Form by September 1, 2026.

If you are considering applying for a flexibility measure or if you have started an application and feel stuck, you can ↗ schedule a 30-min conversation with the BERDO Review Board Team to ask clarifying questions. 

If you are ready to take action on your building, you can start by ↗ signing up for a free virtual BERDO building consultation, where a BERDO team member can explain how your building uses energy, identify opportunities for improvements in your building, and share general information on services, incentives, and rebates you may be eligible for through Mass Save.

Building owners who are ready to implement building upgrades  and need a second opinion may be eligible to receive free engineering consulting services with our hired consultant, Steven Winter Associates. 

Assistance may include:

• Advice on what building improvements make more sense for your building.
• Advice on timing building improvement projects.
• Answering technical questions on upgrades you are considering.
• Reviewing contractor bids, specifications, and scope language before you start hiring vendors.
• Reviewing schematics and early designs to flag potential issues.
• Advice on what questions to ask vendors, auditors, and design teams.

Are you ready to start long-term compliance planning? You may be eligible to participate in our ↗ Building Decarbonization Advisor Program (BDAP). You’ll be paired with a building science firm the City has hired to develop a free Zero-Over-Time Plan for your building. This plan will give you recommendations for building electrification to remove fossil fuel usage over time, energy saving upgrades, and renewable energy projects. You may also be eligible for funding assistance to advance specific building decarbonization projects.

↗ Apply now for a chance to be included in our next round starting June 2026.

Find examples of Zero-Over-Time Plans delivered through BDAP ↗ here.

We have many other resources available to support building owners with BERDO compliance. See our ↗ BERDO Resources Roadmap to help you explore our full suite of resources and programs. 

If you have any questions or need support, please email our team at energyreporting@boston.gov.