Building Performance Standards Compliance

The goal of BERDO is for large buildings to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions gradually to net zero by 2050.

• Sets emissions limits and reporting requirements for buildings greater than or equal to 20,000 GSF or 15 units
• Buildings report their emissions by May 15th of each year
• Emission limits start in 2025 for buildings over 35,000GSF, and in 2030 for buildings between 20,000 – 35,000 GSF
• Includes compliance payments for emissions over the limit and large fines for uncooperative buildings

You can find more details in our blog post.

The goal of Cambridge’s BEUDO is to address the fact that buildings account for about 80% of GHG emissions in Cambridge.

• BEUDO requires owners of larger buildings to track and report annual energy use to the City and reduce their GHG emissions on a schedule determined by the size and type of their building
• BEUDO was enacted by the Cambridge City Council on July 28, 2014
• The City will review reports as they are submitted, and conduct basic quality assurance checks and work with you to resolve any issues
• Eversource facilitate reporting by providing aggregated energy use data for buildings through their Energy Data Portal
• May 1 is the annual deadline to submit BEUDO reports for data covering the previous calendar year

The goal of BEPS is to help meet the energy and climate goals of the Sustainable DC plan — to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption by 50% by 2032.

• District-wide goal to reduce energy use by 50% compared to 2012, by 2032.
• Sets energy use intensity and reporting requirements for buildings greater than or equal to 10,000 SF.
• Includes fines up to $10/SF for uncooperative buildings, proportional to progress made.
• New buildings will enter the next BEPS cycle that begins after they are completed. (For buildings over 50,000 SF, a new cycle starts in 2027 with new targets)

There are 2 compliance paths, the performance pathway (Goal = Reduce site EUI by 20%) and the standard target pathway (Goal = Achieve Energy Star score of 66).

The goal of Maryland BEPS is for covered buildings to achieve zero net direct greenhouse gas emissions and energy use intensity standards by 2040.

• Targets are to reduce site EUI to 29 kBtu/ft2 and direct emissions to 0 kgCO2/ft2 by 2040
• Fines = $230/ton of CO2 over the limit
• Buildings covered under state policy are 35,000 square feet and larger
• Starting in 2025, buildings will be required to report energy data to MDE​​ through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool
• Starting in 2030, buildings must meet interim standards, with final standards, including net-zero direct emissions, required by 2040

The goal of Montgomery County BEPS is to get multifamily buildings to 37 kBtu/ft2. At the start of the program, multifamily buildings will have their baseline usage set.

• Target = Reduce site EUI to 37 kBtu/ft2 by 2035
• Fines = noncompliance fines of $500 for first offense; $750 for subsequent offenses
• Enforcement = 2030 & 2035

For multifamily properties between 25,000 ft2 and 250,000 ft2, the program begins and ends one year later than for properties greater than 250,000 ft2, so enforcement will occur at the end of 2031 and 2036.