Cambridge Citizens Coalition

All new Cambridge Buildings must Meet Cambridge and MASS Stretch Energy Code

As of July 2024 all 3 story or more must also meet the State requirements.

RAW SEWAGE IS HAPPENING HERE

RAW SEWAGE:  It flowing through the Alewife Brook Vicinity.   New proposal for Charles River would allow raw sewage flows again.   Harvard Crimson 10.30.25 HERE
Cambridge online Sewer system site:  ​   HERE

SOLAR MATTERS

SOLAR PANEL DESTRUCTION :   Residents with   Solar Panels face   serious impacts   with the new   Multi-Family Citywide "luxury" Housing UpZoning.   Council has declined to   act.

GREEN SPACES, BUSHES AND PLANTS ARE CRITICAL TO CHILD HEALTH

Density: NOT an Environment Net-Positive 

​                      Get Building Height Right for the Climate!
​
"Skyscrapers use and lose more energy than low-rise buildings. Research results show that height is a significant predictor of energy use. Each additional story in a building is associated with a 2.4 percent increase in electricity use and 2.9 percent increase in fossil fuel use, more than doubling the average emissions per square foot for the tallest buildings in their survey."  Source: Greentech Media November 2020.​

WATER MATTERS

     FLOODING RISKS ​

Cambridge faces growing flooding risks, particularly in neighborhoods built on historic landfill, including some of the city's most densely populated areas. As climate change brings more intense storms and rising groundwater, we must carefully consider where water will go when new development replaces permeable ground, mature trees, and natural drainage. Deep cement foundations built close to property lines can redirect water onto neighboring properties, increasing the risk of basement flooding and damage. Future development should prioritize stormwater management, tree preservation, and protections for existing homeowners and renters.

TREES MATTER

MATURE TREES ARE CRITICAL TO OUR WELL-BEING AND SURVIVAL 

Above Cambridge tree mapping images from Kent Johnson's new 2009-2020 interactive map (see above link)
*Note the "Cambridge Tree Canopy Update" for  (2009-2020) changes the 2009-2018 tree canopy loss from 18% to 1% using an implausible method. The 2009-2014 maps above show the original data.

We Face Serious Mature Tree Losses

Cambridge’s mature tree canopy is one of our most important protections against flooding, extreme heat, and declining quality of life. As new construction is allowed closer to property lines, more mature trees are being lost, removing the shade and natural stormwater absorption our neighborhoods depend on. Replacing a large tree with a small sapling is not an equal trade: many young trees fail in the first year, and those that survive can take 40 to 60 years to provide meaningful shade. As homes are built closer together, residents feel this loss directly through hotter streets, increased flooding risks, and diminished neighborhood livability. Most of our mature trees are on private property which makes these losses even more devastating. 

Saving our Mature Trees is Critical to our Climate Viability (and Environmental Equity). It takes 30-40 years for a young tree to grow large enough to provide the critical shade needed to lower temperatures and cool our neighborhoods the the environment at large. Plus 1 in 4 trees in Cambridge die within a few years of being planted. ​

CLIMATE CHANGE MATTERS 

     WE MUST DO MORE  TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE:

We Must: prioritize and protect our mature trees.  Retain our current green spaces and add to them. Add more parks and open spaces in the denser parts of the city. Create a viable public transportation System. Limit new labs and large housing developments. Encourage employers to allow staff to work from home (where ever).

CLIMATE VULNERABILITY

ENERGY ACCESS

COULD MORE GEOTHERMAL BE IN CAMBRIDGE'S FUTURE?

Electric Substations

Where is our energy use accessed? And where will new substations be placed when Cambridge goes all electric.

DEMOLITIONS BRING SERIOUS HARM 

                                            DEMOLITIONS  ARE BAD FOR  ALL OF US


On  environmental cost of demolitions  read: HERE
  • "This study finds that it takes 10 to 80 years for a new building that is 30 percent more efficient than an average-performing existing building to overcome, through efficient operations, the negative climate change impacts related to the construction process.”   They   call for policy makers to acknowledge the environmental impact of sending usable buildings to landfills; strive for density without demolition; provide meaningful incentives for retention and reuse; and maintain or strengthen demolition review requirements for designated historic properties."

​DEMOLITIONS  ARE RISING FAST DUE TO  THE UP-ZONING:
​Over 100 properties are now on the city's list waiting for approvals for demolitions. 

​​Read about Recent Cambridge Demolition Projects   in Play Across the City:   HERE

​READ Our Blog with Updates on Property Demolitions     HERE​
​
News: "Cambridge Reports Demolition Permit Surge After New Zoning Rule" Harvard Crimson. 9.16.25. HERE
             
Cambridge Environmental Advocacy Groups 

Cambridge Climate Related Documents

Tree Specialists 

Other Reports 

Heat Pumps

BEUDO (Building Energy Use Disclosure Ordinance)

2023 Cambridge City Council BEUDO Decision: Estimated Emissions Reduction:
All New Large Buildings Must Comport with BEUDO but Cambridge City Council has now required retrofitting all older large buildings at a greatly excelarated pace or owners face steep fees: only large residential buildings (condos and rentals) excluded, but will have to meet state mandates 
Large buildings will be required to achieve net-zero emissions by 2035, while mid-size buildings must do so by 2050. This is more ambitious than the state and national commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. To achieve these targets, this requires reducing emissions by approximately 50% by 2030 and 70% by 2035.

​Controversies: While large buildings with condos and rental units are not included, religious buildings, hospitals, and historic buildings are. The algorithm that takes energy use and converts it to GHG emissions is not accurate, e.g. it does not account for buildings where "100%" renewable is being purchased. Heavy fees will be paid by those who don't meet lead-up yearly goals and Eversource Energy has indicated that those who need upgrades or hookups for new projects will hav to wait many months or more. In addition, prior to the vote, CDD (those responsible for collecting the data) had not analyzed this data nor indicated the largest emitters.

CCC Climate Related Events

 An August 2, 2021 City Hall Rally to support our Diminishing Tree Canopy was co-sponsored by CCC along with 15 other Cambridge Civic groups supporting trees.