Boston building owners:
WegoWise can help you comply with the Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance
What is BERDO?
BERDO, short for Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance, is a law enacted by the City of Boston that requires owners of large buildings to annually report their energy and water usage data. This information is then made public, allowing building owners and potential buyers to see how performance compares to buildings of similar size and age. This process is known as energy benchmarking. Additionally, every five years, buildings that do not receive an ENERGY STAR® performance score higher than 75 must undergo an energy audit at the owner's cost.
Purpose
The purpose of BERDO is to encourage efficient building management, reduce emissions of air pollutants from energy production, and stimulate a growing green economy. This initiative is a key part of Boston’s mission to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 25% by 2020.
Does it impact me?
Owners of large commercial and multifamily residential buildings are required to comply with the law based on the following criteria:
- 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.
What are the deadlines?
Building owners are required to report their building usage data by May 15th each year.
What are the fines?
Failure to comply with the benchmarking ordinance will result in fines ranging
from $35-$200 per violation, based on the size and type of building. Fines can
be issued per day, with maximum fines of $3000 per year.
- Non-residential buildings 50,000 square feet or more - $200 per violation
- Non-residential buildings 35,000-49,999 square feet - $75 per violation
- Residential buildings with 50+ units - $200 per violation
- Residential buildings with 35-50 units - $75 per violation
- Non-residential tenants - $35 per violation
How do I comply?
Building owners must report energy and water data to EPA’s Portfolio Manager, a reporting tool that allows building owners to compare their building’s energy efficiency with similar buildings, and then submit a report to the City of Boston.