Clanton and Associates
Clanton and Associates is a Boulder, Colorado-based lighting design and engineering firm founded in 1981 that provides specialized consulting across architectural, urban, transportation, dark-sky, and circadian lighting for municipalities, state agencies, universities, and commercial developers across the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersBoulder, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Clanton and Associates does
Clanton and Associates is a Boulder, Colorado-based lighting design and engineering firm founded in 1981 by Nancy Clanton. The firm provides specialized consulting services across architectural lighting design, urban lighting design, master planning and policy development, transportation lighting, dark-sky compliant lighting, and biologically sensitive (circadian-aligned) lighting. Core technical work spans photometric analysis, daylighting integration, LED specification, and advanced lighting controls including PoE-powered and wireless networked systems. The practice has delivered more than 4,000 projects across the United States, including flagship engagements such as Apple Campus 3 (LEED Platinum with HOK), the $1.2 billion CDOT Central 70 corridor reconstruction (with WSP), Denver Union Station (with SOM), Grand Canyon National Park, and lighting master plans for Denver and Salt Lake City.
The firm's customer base is concentrated in U.S. municipal governments, state departments of transportation, universities, and commercial developers pursuing LEED or dark-sky compliant projects. Engagement model is project-based professional services delivered through direct sales to municipal planning and public works departments, RFP responses, and recurring sub-consultant teaming with tier-one architecture and engineering firms including HOK, SOM, ZGF, WSP, AECOM, and Jacobs. Multi-year master planning and ordinance work provides longer-tail anchor revenue, while thought leadership at LightFair, Greenbuild, and the University of Colorado Illumination Engineering Program supports top-of-funnel visibility.
Clanton and Associates is privately held, founder-owned, and operates with a team of approximately 20 professionals, including registered professional engineers, LEED APs, and multiple IES, IALD, and LEED Fellows. There is no external institutional investment or parent company; the firm has remained organically financed throughout its 40-plus year operating history. Dane Sanders, a 20-plus year veteran and LEED AP with six LEED Platinum projects, currently leads the firm as CEO.
Clanton and Associates firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Clanton and Associates
- Legal name
- Clanton & Associates, Inc.
- Website
- https://clantonassociates.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Clanton and Associates is a Boulder, Colorado-based lighting design and engineering firm founded in 1981 that provides specialized consulting across architectural, urban, transportation, dark-sky, and circadian lighting for municipalities, state agencies, universities, and commercial developers across the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Clanton and Associates industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Lighting Design and Engineering Services
- NAICS
- Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (3351), Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (33513)
- SIC
- Electrical Work (1731), Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial Signaling & Stack Lights (Tower/andon lights, beacons, strobes, signal columns) (IMAGAIAE)
Keywords
Where Clanton and Associates is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boulder
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Clanton and Associates business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Professional Lighting Design Services: Fees for lighting design and engineering services for architectural, urban, transportation, and master planning projects. Revenue generated through project-based engagements with municipalities, government agencies, developers, and private companies.
- Lighting Policy Development: Consulting engagements for developing outdoor lighting ordinances, dark sky policies, and master planning documents for municipalities and government entities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based professional services pricing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Clanton and Associates product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Clanton & Associates is a lighting design and engineering firm that provides professional services across architectural lighting, urban lighting, master planning and policy, transportation lighting, dark sky lighting, and biologically sensitive lighting. Engagements are project-based and span indoor, outdoor, streetscape, roadway, and master planning scopes for municipalities, government agencies, universities, developers, and private companies.
Product overview
Clanton and Associates is an award-winning lighting design and engineering firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of services centered on sustainable lighting solutions. The core offerings include Architectural Lighting Design, Urban Lighting Design, Master Planning & Policy, Transportation Lighting Design, Dark Sky Lighting, and Biologically Sensitive Lighting. The firm has over 40 years of experience with more than 4,000 lighting design projects. Their integrated approach combines technical engineering expertise with environmental stewardship, focusing on minimizing energy use, sky glow, and light trespass while creating visually compelling spaces for both indoor and outdoor environments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Architectural Lighting Design Professional lighting and daylighting design services for buildings and interior architecture, highlighting structural details and features through intentional luminaire placement. Designed for building owners, architects, and developers pursuing high-quality architectural outcomes.
- Urban Lighting Design Lighting design for streetscapes, plazas, and public spaces that creates comfortable, attractive nighttime environments. Designed for municipalities, public works agencies, and developers of urban outdoor spaces.
- Master Planning and Policy Development Long-term lighting master plans, outdoor lighting ordinances, and dark sky policy development for cities, universities, government agencies, and corporate clients. Combines strategic planning with policy and code authoring.
- Transportation Lighting Design Lighting design for roadways, interstates, interchanges, bridges, tunnels, train stations, bus stations, parking areas, and pedestrian corridors. Delivered for state DOTs and transportation authorities requiring safe, maintainable, efficient corridor lighting.
- Dark Sky Lighting Dark sky-friendly outdoor lighting strategies and the policies that govern them, designed for municipalities, developers, and communities to minimize skyglow, glare, and light trespass while preserving functionality.
- Biologically Sensitive Lighting (BSL) Lighting design that minimizes artificial light impact on human health and ecosystems through dynamic light levels and color temperatures aligned with natural circadian rhythms. Targeted at healthcare, education, workplace, and sensitive environmental sites.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30% energy reduction achieved at Boulder Junction Bridge compared to conventional street lighting
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Clanton and Associates
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Clanton and Associates technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Clanton and Associates partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ZGF ArchitectscoreClanton & Associates worked with ZGF Architects to revitalize the historic 16th Street Mall in Denver, recreating the original lighting design intent by Howard Brandston while updating technology and reducing replacement costs.
- SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill)coreClanton & Associates collaborated with SOM, Hargreaves Associates, AECOM, Kiewit, and Mass Electric to design the historic Denver Union Station's lighting, creating comfortable gathering areas with strategic plaza lighting and color-changing fountain LEDs.
- GSBS ArchitectscoreGSBS Architects worked with Clanton & Associates on the Salt Lake City Lighting Master Plan to develop actionable guidance addressing stakeholder needs with lighting strategies appropriate for street typology.
- WSPcoreWSP served as engineering partner with Clanton & Associates on the $1.2 billion Central 70 project, a 10-mile reconstruction of I-70 through Denver.
- Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT)coreCDOT hired Clanton & Associates to improve visibility conditions of chain stations along the I-70 corridor, resulting in a new standard for Colorado chain up area lighting.
- JacobscoreJacobs partnered with Clanton & Associates on the Gros Ventre Roundabout in Grand Teton National Park, achieving dark-sky-compliant design for wayfinding.
- Aleut ManagementcoreAleut Management partnered with Clanton & Associates on the Grand Canyon Visitor's Center Night Sky Tour, balancing safety and sustainability in the heart of the Grand Canyon.
- Landscape FormsminorLandscape Forms partnered with Clanton & Associates on Boulder Junction Bridge, providing cutting-edge solid-state lighting technology selected for color quality and advanced controls.
- Tom Leader StudiocoreTom Leader Studio partnered with Clanton & Associates on Boulder Civic Park, combining urban design and dark sky principles for pedestrian and wildlife safety.
- AECOMcoreAECOM collaborated with Clanton & Associates on Vermijo Ave & Sierra Madre Streetscape in Colorado Springs, integrating smart city infrastructure with pedestrian lighting.
- DIG StudiominorDIG Studio partnered with Clanton & Associates on the Colorado Springs cultural district streetscape project, combining landscape and lighting design for vibrant public spaces.
- Matrix Design GroupminorMatrix Design Group worked with Clanton & Associates on Westminster Station Park Nature Playground, one of Colorado's largest nature playgrounds with innovative dark-sky compliant lighting.
- HOKcoreHOK partnered with Clanton & Associates on Apple Campus 3, providing daylighting design that achieved LEED Platinum certification for the 800,000+ square foot Silicon Valley campus.
- Neenan ArchistructioncoreNeenan Archistruction partnered with Clanton & Associates on the LEED Platinum Powerhouse Energy Institute, featuring PoE-powered LED lighting that improved efficiency by 20%.
- MIGcoreMIG partnered with Clanton & Associates on the National Western Center, a 250-acre Denver campus with specialized arena, grounds, and event lighting.
- Lake | Flato ArchitectscoreLake | Flato Architects partnered with Clanton & Associates on Austin Central Library, featuring six-story atrium with daylighting and nighttime lighting for the 198,000 square foot facility.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Clanton and Associates competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- HLB Lighting Design: Long-established, award-winning architectural lighting design firm with a similar boutique, talent-led model and marquee project portfolio. Directly comparable in services (architectural, urban, and transportation lighting) and client base (municipal, cultural, and corporate).
- Fisher Marantz Stone: New York-based lighting design firm with a comparable boutique scale, similar project mix spanning architecture, urban, and transportation, and an award-winning reputation in the same IALD/IES circles as Clanton.
- Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design (HLB): See HLB Lighting Design above; one of the most directly comparable specialty lighting design consultancies in the US with similar credentialed leadership and project profiles.
- Tillotson Design Associates: Specialty architectural lighting design consultancy with a comparable boutique footprint, focus on architectural and urban lighting, and similar positioning around sustainability and award-winning work.
Broad incumbents
- Buro Happold: Global engineering consultancy with a dedicated lighting design practice serving cultural, civic, and infrastructure clients. Competes for similar projects but as part of a much wider engineering and consulting portfolio.
- Arup: Global engineering firm with a well-known lighting design group covering architecture, urban, and transportation. Comparable on technical depth but at much greater scale and broader service scope.
- AECOM: Global infrastructure firm with a lighting practice that competes for municipal and transportation lighting work, including as a partner on projects like Central 70. Directly comparable on transportation and urban lighting, but bundled with much broader services.
- Stantec: Large AEC firm with lighting design capabilities serving municipal, transportation, and community development clients. Comparable on master planning and infrastructure lighting but as part of a full-service consulting platform.
- WSP: Global engineering firm partnering with Clanton on projects like Central 70; competes for transportation and urban lighting design work as part of a broad infrastructure practice.
Others
- DarkSky International: Advocacy organization that sets standards and recognizes leadership in dark sky-friendly lighting. Comparable as an ecosystem participant driving demand for Clanton's core dark sky and outdoor lighting services rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Clanton and Associates social profiles
Digital presenceClanton and Associates financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Clanton and Associates leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles19 records
Clanton and Associates funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Clanton and Associates M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Clanton and Associates
What does Clanton and Associates do?
Clanton & Associates is a lighting design and engineering firm that provides professional services across architectural lighting, urban lighting, master planning and policy, transportation lighting, dark sky lighting, and biologically sensitive lighting. Engagements are project-based and span indoor, outdoor, streetscape, roadway, and master planning scopes for municipalities, government agencies, universities, developers, and private companies.
Is Clanton and Associates a public or private company?
Clanton and Associates is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Clanton and Associates founded?
Clanton and Associates was founded in 1981. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Clanton and Associates based?
Clanton and Associates is headquartered in Boulder, United States, in the North America region.
How does Clanton and Associates make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Professional Lighting Design Services are the primary driver. The others are lighting Policy Development.
Who are Clanton and Associates's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are HLB Lighting Design, Fisher Marantz Stone, Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design (HLB) and Tillotson Design Associates. Broad incumbents are Buro Happold, Arup, AECOM, Stantec and WSP. DarkSky International is listed as an others.
Does Clanton and Associates have an API?
No public API is recorded for Clanton and Associates.
What industry is Clanton and Associates in?
Clanton and Associates's product category is Lighting Design and Engineering Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGAIAE, Industrial Signaling & Stack Lights (Tower/andon lights, beacons, strobes, signal columns). Its NAICS code is 3351 and its SIC code is 1731.