12/1/25 BEUDO Update

End-of-Year Deadline Coming Up

With greenhouse gas emission reduction requirements taking effect in 2026, the City of Cambridge needs all BEUDO-covered building owners or managers to complete a few steps. By Dec. 31, 2025, they must:

1 — Create an account on the BEAM Building Owner Portal and submit a Property Configuration Form.

2 — If you're seeking an Alternative Baseline, submit a Baseline Selection Form.

To guide owners through these steps and understand what comes next, Cambridge staff have prepared several quick guides.

✓ BEUDO Checklist: A high-level to-do list for compliance.

✓ BEUDO Technical Guide: Covered Properties: An outline of how to determine whether your property is covered by BEUDO and what reporting options are available.

✓ BEUDO Technical Guide: Establishing Baselines: An explanation of how to choose your starting point for tracking future reductions.

✓ BEUDO Technical Guide: Emission Factors: A breakdown of how your property’s greenhouse gas emissions are calculated.

Upcoming Webinar: December 11 at 1 p.m.

The Office of Sustainability will host a public webinar on Dec. 11 at 1 p.m. to review Covered Property configuration and establishing Baselines for BEUDO. To attend on Zoom, register here.

For more information, visit www.cambridgema.gov/BEUDO.

Help Desk

For one-on-one support, email BEUDO@cambridgema.gov.

Office Hours

Still have questions or need help? The Office of Sustainability is offering virtual office hours for owners and managers of BEUDO-covered properties. To schedule time with BEUDO staff, use this link.

Draft Phase 3 BEUDO Regulations Coming Soon

BEUDO regulations are rolling out in phases, to give City staff time to do research and gather community feedback. Here's what we're working on now:

→ Campus Reporting Option: Building owners with five or more Covered Properties in Cambridge may be able to report energy use and reduce emissions as a single “campus.” This approach could make compliance simpler and better reflect how some large institutions manage their energy systems.

→ BEUDO Review Board Operations: The City is developing rules for how the BEUDO Review Board will function. These processes are designed to ensure that BEUDO implementation is fair, transparent, and consistent across all covered properties.

→ Hardship and Deferral Plans: A property owner may qualify for a “hardship” if they can prove they meet certain criteria. Owners who qualify must submit a plan that details how the property owner will work toward compliance. A property owner can also ask the Review Board for a "deferral" of up to five years if they satisfy requirements.

We expect to release these draft regulations later this month, and will share more details then. You'll have an opportunity to comment and help shape how Cambridge continues to lead on building decarbonization.

Cambridge Solar Assistance Program

for Commercial Buildings

Thinking about solar for your building? The City can help.

Cambridge's Solar Assistance Program provides no-cost support to commercial building owners to help them install rooftop solar. Receive a solar feasibility analysis for a single building or entire portfolio, a review of all installation pathways, including no-cost options, and a detailed cash flow showing your projected savings over the lifetime of the project.

Visit camb.ma/solarassistance to learn more.

Building Performance Standards Around the Country

State and local governments are taking the lead on implementing policies that require buildings to be more energy efficient and climate-friendly. Here's a quick look at how some of those communities are putting their goals into action.

Washington DC: The Building Energy Performance Standard Program was established in 2018 and expanded through the Clean Energy DC Building Code Amendment Act of 2022.

Public buildings ≥ 10,000 sq. ft., and commercial and multifamily buildings ≥ 50,000 sq. ft. must benchmark and meet energy performance targets.
New construction or substantial renovations, including most commercial buildings, must meet a net zero energy standard beginning January 2027.

Denver: The Energize Denver Building Performance Policy was passed in 2021.

Buildings ≥ 25,000 sq ft must submit annual benchmarking data and meet energy efficiency targets by 2032.
Buildings < 25,000 sq. ft. don't have to report their energy use but must take steps to be more energy efficient and use more renewable energy.

Evanston, Illinois: The Benchmarking Ordinance passed in 2016, and the Healthy Buildings Ordinance was adopted in early 2025.

Buildings ≥ 20,000 sq. ft. must eliminate on-site and district system emissions and use all renewable electricity by 2050.
Privately-owned commercial and multifamily buildings > 20,000 sq. ft. must report their annual energy and water use.

New York City: Local Law 97 passed in 2019.

Buildings ≥ 25,000 sq. ft. must report their annual energy and water use, reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030, and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

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End-of-Year Deadline Coming Up

﻿Cambridge Solar Assistance Program

﻿for Commercial Buildings

﻿Building Performance Standards Around the Country

Cambridge Solar Assistance Program

for Commercial Buildings

Building Performance Standards Around the Country