Cambridge staff outline steps to meet building emissions limits, expand renewables and help owners comply with BUTO

Cambridge city staff told the Health and Environment Committee on a convening of city officials and utility partners that the Building Energy Use Disclosure Ordinance (BUTO) will require the largest nonresidential buildings to begin reducing emissions in January 2026 and reach net zero on a faster timetable than smaller buildings.

Julie Warmser, chief climate officer for the city, said Cambridge’s climate commitment and decades of planning make the city well positioned to act, but that meeting the goals will require coordination and time: “it will take all of us all in order to achieve those goals.”

BUTO applies to large nonresidential buildings and, as explained by Nikhil McCartney, senior program manager for decarbonization, the largest nonresidential buildings (100,000 square feet and larger) must begin cutting emissions in January 2026 and reach net‑zero emissions by 2035; mid‑sized nonresidential buildings begin reduction steps in 2030 and are required to be net‑zero by 2050. McCartney said, “BUTO addresses emissions from large non residential buildings,” and noted the ordinance includes compliance flexibility: limited use of offsets for the…