Boston Zoning Code Article 37 mandates LEED Certifiable standard for projects 20,000+ square feet and supports cool roofs, native landscaping, and stormwater best practices on new development.
Article 37 of the Boston Zoning Code, administered by the BPDA, requires large projects (20,000+ square feet under Article 80) to demonstrate LEED Silver certifiable performance using updated USGBC versions. Reflective roof surfaces (Solar Reflectance Index ≥78 low-slope, ≥29 steep-slope), heat-island reduction credits, native plant material, and on-site stormwater retention are scored components. Projects must submit a LEED checklist with the BPDA Article 80 filing. Recent updates align Article 37 with BERDO emissions targets and the Climate Action Plan to push embodied-carbon accounting and electrification.
BPDA may withhold Article 80 approvals, require design modifications, or impose mitigation conditions for projects that fail LEED Certifiable scoring under Article 37 of the Boston Zoning Code.
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See how Boston's cool roof requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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