What is BERDO 2.0?
BERDO 2.0 is Boston's Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance, as amended in 2021. It requires large buildings to report energy and water use each year and sets emissions standards that step down over time, reaching net zero emissions by 2050.
What it is
The original BERDO required benchmarking and disclosure. The 2021 amendment, known as BERDO 2.0, added emissions performance standards. Covered buildings must report annual energy and water use and meet emissions intensity limits that decline in steps.
The ordinance includes options such as alternative compliance payments and individualized pathways, and it requires periodic third party verification of reported data. Check the City of Boston's current rules for the details and dates that apply to your building.
Who it applies to / where it is used
BERDO 2.0 covers large non-residential buildings and large residential buildings in Boston, as well as groups of buildings on a parcel that together meet the size threshold. Owners of offices, labs, hospitals, universities and multifamily properties are affected.
How it is measured / what evidence it needs
Reported data must be complete and verifiable, because third party verification is part of the ordinance.
- Annual energy use by fuel for every covered building
- Annual water use
- Emissions calculated using the city's factors
- Third party verification records when due
How Aqueduct helps
Aqueduct supplies the same metered inputs used for Local Law 97, per building and across a portfolio.
- Metered energy and water by building and fuel, exportable for annual reporting
- Data gap and anomaly checks before verification
- Weather-normalized trends through aQ EnergySmart to track progress against the next step
- Water use from aQ WaterGuard, measured rather than estimated