Proposal Details

The Cambridge Green New Deal Consists of 3 Policies: 

Emissions Accounting Zoning Amendment (Ordained)

• This policy would require large, new, non-residential to calculate their expected emissions annually, every year until 2050. They are also required to calculate their expected embodied emissions, creating opportunities for reduction. Residential buildings and commercial buildings below 50,000 square feet are exempt from these reporting requirements. 

Green Jobs Ordinance (Ordained) 

• The green jobs ordinance establishes third-party green jobs training programs for low-income residents in Cambridge, to be provided directly through the city or via third-party partnerships. 

BEUDERO 

• Note - "BEUDO" refers to the Building Energy Use Disclosure Ordinance, enacted by The Cambridge City Council in July 2014. "BEUDERO" is the Building Energy Use Disclosure and Emissions Reduction Ordinance, incorporating a timeline for large commercial buildings to reach net zero emissions. This ordinance is currently in committee. 

• Proposed amendments to the BEUDO benchmarking policy that will require large new commercial buildings to have net-zero emissions from day one of operation, and existing large commercial buildings to reduce their emissions to net zero by 2035. Buildings can pick from onsite emission reduction mechanisms like electrification, energy efficiency, and onside solar, new offsite renewable energy, or alternative compliance credits, which will be used to support greenhouse gas reduction measures by the city.