Municipalities, building owners and facility managers across Massachusetts need to stay on top of emerging energy reporting requirements to remain compliant and avoid costly penalties. One of the latest regulatory mandates comes from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), which now requires annual energy usage reporting for certain large buildings under what is known as the Large Building Energy Reporting (LBER) program.
This blog breaks down what the LBER requirement is, who it applies to, how it connects with other programs like BERDO and BUEDO, what the reporting process entails, and how to stay compliant.
The Large Building Energy Reporting (LBER) requirement is a new initiative from the Massachusetts DOER. It applies to any building in the state with a gross floor area of 20,000 square feet or greater, whether commercial, residential, institutional or mixed-use.
The goal of LBER is to support Massachusetts' broader climate goals by increasing transparency around building energy use, identifying opportunities for efficiency improvements, and guiding future energy policies. Importantly, LBER is distinct from local ordinances like BERDO (Boston) and BUEDO (Cambridge), though there are overlapping themes.
While BERDO and BUEDO are city-specific policies targeting energy use in Boston and Cambridge, LBER is a statewide regulation. The DOER has taken care to ensure that LBER does not create conflicting reporting obligations. If you’re already reporting under BERDO or BUEDO, your submission may satisfy LBER requirements, but you must still confirm compliance through the state’s process.
Read this Veolia Blog to learn more about the difference between BERDO and BUEDO.
You must report if you:
This applies whether your building is publicly or privately owned. If your organization has reputational risks tied to environmental performance or ESG metrics, LBER compliance is especially critical. Noncompliance can lead to financial penalties and damage public perception.
Yes, some buildings may qualify for exemptions, including:
Exemptions are not automatic—owners must apply and provide documentation.
Failure to comply with LBER can result in fines of up to $150 per day per building until compliance is achieved. The DOER uses tools like:
In short, they will know if a property isn’t reporting when it should be.
In most cases, building owners (including landlords) are responsible for LBER reporting. Tenants aren’t directly responsible unless specified in the lease. However, tenants may need to provide energy data—particularly in triple-net leases—so landlords should start engaging tenants early to collect the necessary utility data.
The reporting process includes:
While DOER expects comprehensive data, small amounts of fuel oil (e.g., backup generators or rarely used heating systems) may not significantly affect reporting. However, if fuel oil is a regular energy source, it must be included.
When in doubt, include it—or consult a qualified energy professional.
With recent uncertainty around the future of the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, it’s critical to ensure your reporting processes and data storage strategies are future-proofed. While Portfolio Manager remains active today, changes could impact how and where you report energy data in the future.
Are your systems and data prepared for this kind of disruption? If not, now is the time to plan.
There are experts here to help you.