Updates to BERDO Regulations and Policies and Procedures
September 18, 2025
At the September 17 meeting of the Air Pollution Control Commission, updates to BERDO regulations and policies and procedures were passed unanimously. The process for these updates kicked off in May, 2025, and covered topics that relate to the flexibility measures application processes, third-party verification, and clarification of language to already existing BERDO procedures. Throughout this process, thanks to member engagement, A Better City submitted two sets of comments: July 14, 2025, and August 28, 2025.
In a nutshell, the approved changes included:
- Streamlining requirements for third-party verification for Buildings’ first emissions compliance year (Regulations, Section VII).
- Modifying application deadlines for all flexibility measures (Regulations, Section XI-XIII).
- Enabling building owners to request to extend the BERDO Review Board’s voting timelines for all flexibility measures (Regulations, Section XI-XIII).
- Removing the requirement to record decisions related to flexibility measures in the Registry of Deeds for flexibility measures (Regulations, Section XI-XIII).
- Enabling the Review Board to grant exemptions on BERDO solar requirements without a Hardship Compliance Plan (Regulations, Section X).
- Clarifying roles between the APCC, the BERDO Review Board, and the City of Boston Environment Department (Regulations, throughout; Policies and Procedures, throughout).
- Update of projected grid emissions factors (Policies and Procedures, Appendix B).
- Revised date of publication of annual emissions factors to no later than April 15 of each year (Regulations, Section VIII).
For any questions, please contact Yve Torrie.
