Neumann Monson Architects

What Neumann Monson Architects does

Neumann Monson Architects is an Iowa-based architecture and sustainable design firm founded circa 1980, headquartered in Iowa City with a second office in Des Moines. The firm provides full-service architectural design delivered through a seven-phase process from Pre-Design and stakeholder visioning through Schematic Design, Design Development, Contract Documents, Bidding/Negotiation, Contract Administration, and Post-Occupancy evaluation. Its core differentiator is deep, multi-certification sustainable design expertise spanning LEED, Living Building Challenge, Passive House (PHIUS), SITES, WELL, and Zero Energy Certification, evidenced by award-winning projects including Market One (LEED Platinum), Iowa City Public Works (LEED Gold), and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security (pursuing full Living Building Challenge certification). The firm operates a four-team model (Client Experience, Design Quality, Sustainability, Quality Assurance) that collectively contributes to each engagement.

The firm serves five primary customer segments: Government/Public Sector (federal courthouses, municipal public works), Commercial Real Estate (workplace, mixed-use developments), Education (K-12 and higher education), Nonprofit/Humanitarian (mission-aligned organizations), and Healthcare/Wellness (healthcare and wellness facilities). Revenue is generated through professional services fees, typically structured as a percentage of construction cost (approximately 8% as demonstrated on the Lone Tree Wellness Center engagement), with hourly and fixed-rate alternatives and supplemental services billed separately. Go-to-market is sales-led, relying on direct client engagement, RFP processes, project-based consulting, and content marketing through a blog, Learning Center, and downloadable architectural process guides. The firm distributes regionally across the Midwest, with no evidence of international operations or external investment; it remains privately held and founder/employee-owned.

Name

Neumann Monson Architects

Legal name

Neumann Monson Architects

Website

https://neumannmonson.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Neumann Monson Architects is an Iowa-based architecture firm with offices in Iowa City and Des Moines, delivering sustainable architectural design across government, commercial, education, nonprofit, and healthcare clients with deep expertise in LEED, Living Building Challenge, and Passive House certifications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sustainable/Green Building & LEED Consulting (BPAHAKAG)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Sustainable building design
• Green building certification
• Commercial architecture services
• Civic building design

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Full-service architectural design fees charged as a percentage of construction costs (approximately 8% as shown in the Lone Tree Wellness Center case study). Services are divided into basic and supplemental categories, with fees broken down by design phases including Pre-Design, Schematic Design, Design Development, Contract Documents, Bidding/Negotiation, and Contract Administration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Neumann Monson Architects delivers full-scope architectural design services through a structured 7-phase design process for commercial, civic, educational, and nonprofit clients. The firm is distinguished by deep sustainable design capabilities spanning multiple green building certification frameworks, with complementary offerings in sustainability consulting, building certification guidance, architectural programming, FF&E coordination, and architecture fee consulting.

Product overview

Neumann Monson Architects is an architecture and design firm offering comprehensive architectural services as a single integrated practice rather than a modular platform. The core offering is architectural design services delivered through a seven-phase process (Pre-Design through Post-Occupancy), supplemented by sustainability consulting and building certification guidance. The firm specializes in sustainable design with expertise in green building certifications including LEED, Living Building Challenge, Passive House, WELL, SITES, and Zero Energy Certification. Additional services include architectural programming, fee evaluation consulting, and FF&E coordination. Notable completed projects include Market One (LEED Platinum, COTE Top Ten Award), Iowa City Public Works (LEED Gold, COTE Top Ten Award), and Stanley Center for Peace and Security (pursuing Living Building Certification).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Lone Tree Wellness Center delivered 11% below budget through innovative design solutions
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Maintenance Design GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated as maintenance facility consultant on the Iowa City Public Works project, providing specialized expertise in public works facility design for the 83,000 SF LEED Gold certified consolidation project.
• Maintenance Facility ConsultantcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnered as maintenance facility consultant on Iowa City Public Works project to ensure functional and efficient facility design for public works operations including vehicle storage, shops, and wash bays.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SmithGroup: Integrated design firm with a strong sustainability portfolio and comparable civic, education, and workplace practice. Significantly larger and broader geographically but pursues similar sustainability-credentialed projects.
• HOK: Global architecture practice with a dedicated sustainability and high-performance buildings practice. Overlaps on civic, healthcare, and commercial sectors and competes for sustainability-certified projects at a much larger enterprise scale.
• DLR Group: Large integrated design firm with established Iowa and Midwest presence, serving civic, education, and commercial sectors. Comparable in pursuit of high-performance and sustainability-certified buildings but at materially larger scale.
• Perkins&Will: Global architecture practice with a sizable dedicated sustainability studio and Living Building Challenge experience. Overlaps on civic, education, and healthcare sectors with significantly larger geographic reach and project capacity.
• CannonDesign: Integrated design firm with deep healthcare, education, and civic practice and recognized sustainability leadership. Competes in adjacent segments with significantly broader geographic footprint and larger project portfolio.

Direct peers

• Lake|Flato Architects: San Antonio-based firm with similar profile — regional practice, strong sustainable design reputation, and AIA COTE Top Ten recognition. Comparable in delivering high-performance civic, educational, and adaptive reuse projects for mission-aligned clients.
• EwingCole: Mid-sized integrated design firm with a comparable mix of civic, healthcare, and higher-education work and a strong sustainability practice. Similar firm size, integrated design model, and pursuit of high-performance certified projects.
• BNIM Architects: Kansas City-based architecture and planning firm of comparable size with deep sustainable design expertise and multiple AIA COTE Top Ten Awards. Closely comparable in mission, project types (civic, education, commercial), and sustainability credentials.

Regional players

• Invision Architecture: Iowa-based architecture firm with comparable geographic focus and civic/commercial/education portfolio. Competes for overlapping regional clients but does not match the depth of high-performance sustainability credentials.
• HGA (Hammel, Green and Abrahamson): Midwest-based architecture and engineering firm with comparable regional concentration and portfolio across civic, education, and cultural sectors. Competes for similar Iowa-adjacent and Upper Midwest projects but with somewhat different sustainability positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@everythingarchitecture-NM
• Facebookfacebook.com/170113993005532
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/neumann-monson-architects
• Instagraminstagram.com/neumannmonson/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Neumann Monson Architects