Join the Building Energy Use Disclosure Ordinance Review Board

The City of Cambridge is seeking members to serve on the Building Energy Use and Disclosure Ordinance (BEUDO) Review Board. BEUDO is a key component of the City’s Net Zero Action Plan, a community-driven roadmap to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions citywide by 2050.

The newly created Board and its members will begin meeting in early 2026 and be tasked with reviewing and making decisions on applications from property owners subject to the requirements of the Ordinance and with reviewing and approving detailed regulation language in future years.

The deadline for submitting applications is Monday, October 27, 2025. Interested members should apply by using the City’s online application system at www.cambridgema.gov/apply. 

About the Board
Review Board members will be appointed by the City Manager and approved by the City Council for terms of three years.

The Review Board will be made up of nine people representing climate advocacy (two members), the real estate or business sectors (two members) and technical expertise (five members). Technical experts appointed to the Board must understand the urgency of climate change and may include but not be limited to energy engineers, decarbonization retrofit project managers, building engineers, and accredited professionals in sustainable building design.

Cambridge residency is not required to serve on the Board, but Cambridge residents and/or business owners are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants must demonstrate an understanding of the Cambridge built environment and issues related to building decarbonization.

The Massachusetts Open Meeting Law usually requires meetings to be in person. However, the Review Board will be meeting remotely under temporary legislation that allows public meetings to be conducted as hybrid meetings or entirely remotely. As a result, the Review Board will meet remotely one or two times per month on Wednesdays between 4-6 p.m.

A more detailed description of the Review Board’s responsibilities can be found at: https://camb.ma/BEUDOReviewBoard.

How to Apply?
Interested members should apply by using the City’s online application system at www.cambridgema.gov/apply and selecting “BEUDO Review Board” from the list of Current Vacancies. You should provide a cover letter to explain why you are interested in serving on the Review Board and a summary of relevant experience. Experience can include both professional and volunteer work.

The City of Cambridge is committed to advancing a culture of antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion. All board and commission members in Cambridge must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies. Women, Black, Indigenous and other people of color, veterans, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Additional Background on BEUDO
The Building Energy Use and Disclosure Ordinance (BEUDO) sets targets for existing, new, and renovated buildings to improve their energy performance and reduce carbon emissions. Under the ordinance:

• Non-residential properties with 100,000 square feet or more must begin reducing their emissions starting in 2026, with a goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2035.

   

• Non-residential properties between 25,000 and 99,999 square feet will need to begin reducing their emissions in 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. Learn more on the BEUDO page.

Training and Support Available for Review Board Members
Training in the requirements of the Ordinance will be provided by staff. In addition, by state law, all members need to complete training in ethics and conflict-of-interest laws.

The Review Board is supported by professional planning staff in the Office of Sustainability. Staff will provide written reports to Review Board members on matters that are before them and can talk with individual Review Board members if they have questions.

If interested members have questions, please contact Susanne Rasmussen at srasmussen@cambridgema.gov or 617-349-4607. Additional information about the Ordinance and the Review Board is available on the BEUDO website: camb.ma/BEUDO.