Cambridge Citizens Coalition

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

As of July 2024 all 3 story or more buildings must also meet 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.
​https://www.globalconstructionreview.com/tall-buildings-are-more-energy-hungry-low-rise-res/
​​

The Hidden Energy Advantage of Historic Housing 

Retaining historic multifamily housing with independently controlled room heating and cooling (or unit specific ones) often is more energy efficient than replacing existing structures with buildings that rely on centralized heating and cooling for larger shared volumes. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) notes that for cooling, "There may be some energy savings if you only plan to cool a small part of your house," making room air conditioners and ductless mini-splits an efficient option for occupied spaces. For heating, the DOE similarly recommends "zone heating" because it "heats only those areas of your house in which there are people." Energy Star also reports that certified room air conditioners are 19–36% more efficient than the federal minimum efficiency standards. These energy savings are greatest when unoccupied portions of a building are allowed to remain warmer in summer or cooler in winter, rather than maintaining a uniform temperature throughout the structure.
  • U.S. Dept. of Energy, Energy Renovations HVAC Guide     https://www.energy.gov/cmei/femp/purchasing-energy-efficient-room-air-conditioners? 
  • US Dept of Energy: Buildings - Consumers    https://www.energy.gov/cmei/buildings/consumer-room-air-conditioners
  • U.S. Department of Energy - Energy   Efficiency   in   Separate   Tenant   Spaces.
  • https://www.energystar.gov/sites/default/files/asset/document/DOE%20-%20Energy%20Efficiency%20in%20Separate%20Tenant%20Spaces_0.pdf?
  • Energy Star  data:     https://www.energystar.gov/products/room_air_conditioners/key_product_criteria?

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.
FLOOD VIEWER: FIND the Flood   Risk Danger of Any   Property   in Cambridge  

The Cambridge FloodViewer is an interactive mapping tool developed by the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts to help the Cambridge community visualize flood scenarios, assess flood risk in a given area, and prepare for climate impacts associated with sea level rise and storm surge. The tool allows users to explore flooding impacts from the community level to the parcel level, and to what extent inundation is projected to occur.
The FloodViewer offers 10- and 100-year storm views projected for current day, year 2030 and 2070 flooding. FEMA 100- and 500- year flood zones are also mapped for the Cambridge region.  
The tool draws on flooding information from the City’s hydraulic model and on sea level rise/storm surge flooding information from the Boston Harbor Flood Risk Model developed by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. These models are based on Cambridge’s Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment (Part 1 and Part 2) to be used in conjunction with the FloodViewer tool. 

https://firststreet.org/city/cambridge-ma/2511000_fsid/flood
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TREES MATTER

MATURE TREES ARE CRITICAL TO OUR WELL-BEING AND SURVIVAL 

                                                                          What to Do When You  See a  Tree  Being Removed 
Ask to see the Permit.
Take photos and   videos
Look  Up the Address and  Approval on Line    via the   Board  of Zoning Appeal  Meetings
Contact   the Cambridge Department of Public Works (DPW)


                                                                                     Cambridge Tree Removal Regulations

Cambridge enforces incredibly strict rules regarding cutting down trees on private and public property, regardless of who the project manager is:
  • The Tree Protection Ordinance: Developers must obtain specific permits from the Cambridge Department of Public Works (DPW) before removing any "Significant Tree" (generally defined as a tree with a trunk diameter of 6 inches or greater).
  • Mitigation Requirements: If a developer cuts down a significant tree, they are legally required to either replant matching tree canopy on-site or pay a steep mitigation fee into the city’s Tree Replacement Fund.
  • Public Notice: Tree removals on public ways require a posted physical notice and a public hearing by the City Arborist.
How to Verify the Situation
If you suspect a violation or want to identify the parties involved, you can actively track the following public channels:
  • Check Permit Filings: You can look up active building, zoning, or tree removal permits for the specific house number on Grozier Road using the Cambridge Inspectional Services Open Data Portal.
  • File a Public Records Request: The identity of project applicants and municipal correspondence regarding the site are public. You can file a formal request via the City of Cambridge Public Records Portal.
  • Report Unpermitted Tree Cutting: If you believe trees are being cut down illegally without a DPW permit, you can report it directly via the Cambridge 311 app or call the DPW directly to prompt an immediate site inspection. [1, 2]
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.
“As Cambridge Tree Canopy Grows, Residents Warn Housing Development Could Reverse Gains” Harvard Crimson (6.29.26) HERE
Has a  tree  fallen down  down on your property. Would you like to commemorate it by gifting it to a good cause. MassArt has woodworking teachers you can reach out to. Also  Rindge carpentry program has accepted the donation of a tree in the past. No doubt there are others, including Mitch Ryerson, who has worked magic with tree stumps, He can help the tree live on in new forms.
                                Green Spaces and Children's Cognitive Skills:
​Beyond the general environmental benefits of trees and green spaces, growing evidence suggests that children raised in greener neighborhoods experience measurable developmental advantages. A Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health summary of research reports that early-life exposure to green space was associated with better visual memory in mid-childhood,     adding to a broader body of evidence linking neighborhood greenery with improved cognitive development and attention in children.    Jiminez et al.  “Early Life Exposure to Green Space Linked to Mid-Childhood Cognition” Summer 2021. Columbia University  Mailman School of Public Health
Trees and   the Environment: Oxygen   Matters
Trees themselves  provide multiple climate and public health benefits. They cool neighborhoods, improve air quality, reduce stormwater runoff, and absorb significant amounts of carbon dioxide. As Columbia Climate School atmospheric chemist Róisín Commane observed after her team's study of New York City's urban forest, "We already knew that street trees had this great benefit of cooling and providing shade. That they're also inhaling enormous amounts of CO₂ is an added bonus

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

Determining Heat Island Impacts: Too few   Points of Access
Location of  24 heat sensors across the city. 18 are run by MIT campus partners;  6 are located in other  city sites. Note: none are in  Alewife, North Cambridge, Strawberry Hill or West Cambridge.

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.