Cambridge in brief
Residential buildings of 50 or more units must report energy use each year under BEUDO, and the 2023 amendments set net zero targets. Smaller associations are mostly converted two- and three-family houses, where one roof can be a large share of the reserve.
BEUDO and the larger buildings
The Building Energy Use Disclosure Ordinance requires residential properties with 50 or more units to report energy data to the city. Amendments adopted in 2023 set net zero emissions targets, with the earliest date, 2035, for non-residential buildings of 100,000 square feet or more and 2050 for most others. Check the city page for how your building is classed.
A reserve study for a covered building should show when the heating and cooling plant reaches the end of its life, what an electric replacement might cost, and how that date lines up with the city's targets.
Small associations
Much of the Cambridge condominium stock is two- and three-unit buildings, often self-managed. With so few owners, one roof or a set of porches can cost more than a year of common charges, so even a short study protects the owners who sell before the work is due from leaving it to those who stay.
Cambridge is on the state's specialized energy code list, which matters if a project in the plan counts as a major renovation.
What a Cambridge study usually has to price
- Heating and cooling plant (BEUDO)
- Porches and stairs on wood-frame houses
- Roofs, gutters and flashing
- Masonry foundations and drainage
- Shared utility lines
The state rule, wherever you are
Chapter 183A, section 10(i) applies here as it does across Massachusetts: an adequate replacement reserve, collected with the common charges and held apart from operating money. No statute requires a study or sets its interval, so the decision sits with the board and the documents. The rule in full.
Fees
Fees in Cambridge follow the statewide pattern below. Travel and building height move the price more than the town does.
| Study | Typical fee |
|---|---|
| Full study, under 50 unitsSite visit, full component list, 30-year plan | $1,500 to $5,000 |
| Full study, 50 to 150 unitsMore buildings, more components to measure | $2,000 to $8,000 |
| Full study, 150 to 300 unitsLarge or amenity-heavy communities | $5,000 to $20,000 |
| Mid-rise or high-rise buildingElevators, facades, garages, mechanical plant | $7,000 to $15,000+ |
| Update with a site visitRe-inspection and a refreshed plan | Roughly 50 to 80 percent of the full-study fee |
| Update without a site visitDesk review of costs, balances and timing | Often under $1,000 |
Typical ranges, rounded. No trade body or state agency publishes fee figures, so treat these as a guide, not a quote.