In 2019, the Boston Green Ribbon Commission and Boston University’s Institute for Sustainable Energy released the Carbon Free Boston report showing a path forward for carbon neutrality for the city and recommending detailed solutions. Later in 2019, the City released its updated Climate Action Plan, with a refined goal of achieving carbon neutrality in 2050.
One critical sector for emissions in the City is buildings. The Climate Action plan includes eighteen strategies, with five focusing on buildings: a net-zero standard for municipal buildings (achieved), a net-zero standard for City-funded affordable housing (in progress), update zoning to a zero net carbon standard (in progress), energy efficiency in municipal buildings (in progress), and developing a building emissions performance standard (in progress). Carbon Free Boston explained that Boston has an older building stock with less insulation and older, inefficient equipment, like HVAC systems. These factors contribute to higher energy use, and thus, higher GHG emissions. Newer buildings are required to have better insulation and more efficient heating, cooling, and appliances.
One of the tools the Carbon Free Boston team emphasized was the Boston’s Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO). Established in 2013, BERDO requires reports on large buildings’ annual energy and water usage, as well as GHG emissions, which are then made publicly available. The Ordinance also requires large buildings to undergo energy assessments every five years.
This year, Boston has made efforts to strengthen its BERDO rule, and has released a draft summary of improvements and changes for public comment. The two largest upgrades include the introduction of a building emissions performance standard within BERDO, and an acknowledgment and emphasis of environmental justice concerns. These improvements to BERDO will be crucial for Boston reducing their GHG emissions and reaching carbon neutrality in a way that also promotes equity.
A previous version of the blog stated Boston’s 2019 updated climate goals to be reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 25 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050, which were the CAPs original 2011 goals.
