BERDO Enacted

Did you know that buildings contribute to 64% of greenhouse gas emissions in the City of Newton? Notably, only 386 buildings account for approximately 27% of Newton's emissions. (These buildings each have over 20,000 square feet gross floor area—that’s roughly 18% of the total floor area in Newton).

The Buildings Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) is an important new ordinance that aims to reduce emissions and associated air pollution from large buildings by first requiring reporting on their energy use and then, starting with commercial buildings, gradually reducing their on-site greenhouse gas emissions to zero. On January 8, 2025, Mayor Fuller signed the BERDO ordinance into law, a significant step toward achieving Newton's Climate Action Plan target of carbon neutrality by 2050. Moreover, BERDO’s phased decarbonization will offer additional benefits, such as reduced exposure to rising gas costs and increased energy efficiency.  

Adoption of BERDO by the City of Newton follows many months of consultation with owners of large property in Newton as well as several presentations to and discussions with City Council. 

BERDO emissions targets are consistent with Massachusetts law, which requires the state to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emission by 2050. This ordinance is also aligned with similar building decarbonization ordinances in Boston and Cambridge. 

City staff are currently working on BERDO implementation. For more information and resources, visit the City of Newton’s website and download the ordinance here. 

Introducing Newton’s new Climate Action Coordinator! Caroline Weiss started on February 10th and is thrilled to be working on residential decarbonization and coordinating climate action in the City.  

Caroline will lead the update and tracking of Newton’s Climate Action Plan, manage the Energy Coach program, and work with community partners to reduce emissions and advance green building practices in the City.  

Caroline is excited to start working with Newton schools, local non-profits, houses of worship, and individuals interested in making change in Newton. If you have a project in mind, or would like to discuss what is going on in Newton, please reach out at cweiss@newtonma.gov or (617) 659-7186. She looks forward to working with residents and supporting them in everything climate-related! 

Image description: Mayor Fuller with Caroline Weiss.