Kaplan Thompson Architects
Kaplan Thompson Architects is a Portland, Maine-based architecture firm specializing in sustainable, high-performance building design — including Passive House, Net Zero, and Living Building projects — serving single-family homeowners, affordable-housing developers, educational institutions, and community/commercial clients across New England.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Kaplan Thompson Architects does
Kaplan Thompson Architects (KTA) is a privately-held architecture firm headquartered at 102 Exchange Street in Portland, Maine, founded in 2004 by principals Phil Kaplan and Jesse Thompson. The firm specializes in sustainable, high-performance building design across four service categories: single-family residential (new homes and deep energy retrofits), multi-family housing (affordable, senior, and workforce developments), educational facilities (K-12 and higher education), and community/commercial spaces (restaurants, gathering spaces, mixed-use). The practice is technically distinguished by deep expertise in Passive House design, Net Zero Energy construction, Living Building Challenge compliance, and airtight super-insulated envelope engineering, with multiple projects achieving Passive House, PHIUS+, LEED, and Enterprise Green Communities certifications.
The firm operates as a professional services practice on a quote-based, project-fee model with design engagements structured across standard project phases from schematic design through construction administration. Revenue is generated through architectural fees typically tied to project scope, complexity, and construction value, with a mix of single-family custom residential work, multi-family affordable housing developments, institutional commissions, and commercial/hospitality projects. The go-to-market motion is sales-led and reputation-driven: clients are acquired through direct engagement, competition wins (e.g., the 2017 national Lowering the Cost of Housing competition), RFP processes for government and institutional work, thought leadership (podcast, conference speaking), and demonstrated portfolio performance. The firm maintains a network of repeat construction partners (Wright-Ryan, Consigli, Allied Cook, Hebert Construction) and development partners (Avesta Housing, Portland Housing Authority, Dakota Partners), with an active project pipeline extending across Maine and broader New England.
KTA is led by co-founders Phil Kaplan (AIA, LEED AP) and Jesse Thompson (FAIA, CPHC) along with a third principal, Adam Wallace. The team of roughly 11–50 professionals includes multiple Certified Passive House Consultants and a jointly-controlled subsidiary, BrightBuilt Home, focused on productized sustainable home building. The firm has maintained sustained credentialing and award momentum, including six consecutive years of meeting AIA 2030 Commitment targets, ARCHITECT50 recognition, and over forty regional and national design awards since 2013.
Kaplan Thompson Architects firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kaplan Thompson Architects
- Legal name
- Kaplan Thompson Architects
- Website
- https://kaplanthompson.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Kaplan Thompson Architects is a Portland, Maine-based architecture firm specializing in sustainable, high-performance building design — including Passive House, Net Zero, and Living Building projects — serving single-family homeowners, affordable-housing developers, educational institutions, and community/commercial clients across New England.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kaplan Thompson Architects industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Architectural Reconfiguration & Structural Alterations (HSAPAEAB), Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)
Keywords
Where Kaplan Thompson Architects is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kaplan Thompson Architects business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Architectural Design Services: Professional architectural services for residential (single-family, multi-family), educational, and community projects. Revenue generated through design fees, typically structured as a percentage of construction costs or fixed fees for defined scopes of work across project phases from schematic design through construction administration.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom architectural services - quote-based |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
Kaplan Thompson Architects product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kaplan Thompson Architects is a Portland, Maine-based architectural firm providing sustainable, high-performance building design services across single-family residential, multi-family, educational, and community project types. Its work centers on Passive House, Net Zero Energy, and Living Building Challenge principles, including new construction, deep energy retrofits, and affordable multifamily developments for clients throughout New England.
Product overview
Kaplan Thompson Architects is a Portland, Maine-based architecture firm specializing in sustainable, high-performance building design. The firm operates as a services-based practice offering architectural design across four primary categories: Single-Family (new homes and renovations), Multi-Family (affordable and market-rate housing), Educational (schools and campus facilities), and Community spaces. The practice is distinguished by its deep expertise in Passive House standards, Net Zero Energy design, Living Building Challenge, deep energy retrofits, and sustainable renovation services. Since 2004, they have designed hundreds of high-performance, low-impact buildings incorporating Passive House principles, airtight construction, high-performance envelopes, renewable energy systems, and non-toxic materials.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Single-Family Residential Design Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 80% reduction in energy consumption for deep energy retrofits (e.g., Maiden Cove reduced to $600/year)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Kaplan Thompson Architects
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Kaplan Thompson Architects technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Kaplan Thompson Architects partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
30 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Peacock BuilderscoreGeneral contractor for Squid Cove - contemporary oceanfront home on Mount Desert Island, Maine with off-grid capabilities.
- SolarLogixcoreSolar energy partner for Squid Cove project - 10kW photovoltaic array and battery backup systems.
- Benjamin & CompanycoreConstruction partner for Woodward project in Brunswick, ME - 4,130 sq ft Net Zero Ready home.
- Auburndale BuilderscoreGeneral contractor for Hip Replacement - Passive House-level renovation of 1908 cottage on Charles River in Newton, MA.
- Bowley BuilderscoreGeneral contractor for Gossamer on the Water - Net Zero contemporary oceanfront home in Southern Maine.
- Revision EnergycoreRenewable energy systems partner for Gossamer on the Water project - 11.2kW photovoltaic array for Net Zero Energy achievement.
- Consigli ConstructioncoreConstruction partner for Colby College Dormitories project - delivered four high-performance residence halls with 200 beds in just 15 months using modular construction approach.
- KBS Builders, Inc.coreModular construction partner for Colby College Dormitories - contributed to accelerated 15-month delivery timeline through prefabrication.
- Klopfer Martin Design GroupcoreLandscape architecture partner for Colby College Dormitories project.
- Avesta HousingcoreOngoing partnership with Avesta Housing, a nonprofit housing provider, on multiple affordable housing developments including Lewiston Choice Wedgewood Neighborhood (82 units), West End Apartments (116 units), and Village Commons (31 units). KTA serves as architecture partner for their high-performance, sustainable housing developments.
- Dakota PartnerscoreDevelopment partner for Oak Tree Village - 72 units of sustainable, mixed-income housing in Griswold, CT. First two iterations of Passive House prototype building with planned expansion to 252 units across seven buildings.
- Allied Cook ConstructioncoreConstruction partner for West End Apartments in South Portland - two buildings with 116 total units (64 units completed 2020, 52 units completed 2023), targeting Passive House airtightness metrics.
- K. P. Hood ConstructioncoreGeneral contractor for Lower Meadow Farm renovation in Freedom, NH - deep energy retrofit bringing farm to Net Zero.
- Redfern PropertiescoreDevelopment partner for Harborview Townhomes - innovative local development company for high-performance urban townhouse building.
- Wright-Ryan ConstructioncoreConstruction partner for Bayside Anchor project and Inn By The Sea luxury suites. A general contractor with expertise in high-performance building.
- ReVision EnergycoreRenewable energy partner for multiple projects including Friends School of Portland (photovoltaic panels) and other Net Zero projects. Provides solar installation and energy systems integration.
- Hebert ConstructioncoreConstruction partner for Parris Terraces - 23 compact, light-filled affordable apartments in Portland's East Bayside industrial zone.
- Simons ArchitectscorePart of four-firm collaboration (with Simons Architects, Briburn, and Richardson & Associates) for The Ecology School's new campus - designed as the world's first Living Community.
- BriburncorePart of four-firm collaboration for The Ecology School's Living Community Compliant campus project in Saco, Maine.
- Richardson & AssociatescoreEngineering partner in four-firm collaboration for The Ecology School's Living Community Compliant campus.
- Warren Construction GroupcoreConstruction partner for Friends School of Portland - first Passive House-certified school in Maine (third in US).
- Kolbert BuildingcoreGeneral contractor for Near Merezero deep energy retrofit in Falmouth, Maine - Net Zero renovation with 12kW solar.
- Island CarpentrycoreConstruction partner for Cumberland Triplex - Net Zero multifamily building in Portland's Munjoy Hill neighborhood.
- Maine AuduboncoreClient partner for Gilsland Farm Master Plan - Phase I of completed Master Plan for Maine Audubon's headquarters improvements.
- Friends School of PortlandcoreClient partner for Passive House-certified school - first in Maine, third in US. Phases I and II supporting 120-150 students.
- Portland Housing AuthoritycorePartnership with Portland Housing Authority and Avesta Housing to develop Bayside Anchor - 45 new affordable Passive House apartments. The project was won through the national Lowering the Cost of Housing design competition sponsored by Deutsche Bank and Enterprise Community Partners, with KTA as the architecture firm.
- KevCo ConstructioncoreConstruction partner for Salt Marsh Reno - contemporary Cape Elizabeth home renovation.
- Bayside Anchor Development PartnersminorPartnership with development team for Thomaston Sail Lofts Net Zero multifamily project - one of the first large-scale Net Zero developments in the country.
- The Valle GroupcoreConstruction partner for Shawme Lake Passive House in Sandwich, MA - PRISM Gold Award winner.
- Portland RenovationscoreRenovation contractor for Rosemont Remodel - home renovation in Portland, Maine.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kaplan Thompson Architects competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BldgType Architecture: Maine-based architecture firm focused on sustainable, high-performance residential and small commercial design with Passive House expertise. Comparable to KTA in geography, niche specialization, and client base of sustainability-minded homeowners and developers.
- Annum Architects: Canadian Passive House-focused architecture firm specializing in high-performance residential, multifamily, and community projects. Comparable niche specialization and technical certification depth.
- BNIM: Kansas City-based design firm with deep expertise in sustainable architecture, Net Zero, and Living Building Challenge projects. Comparable in technical sustainability leadership and educational/institutional client mix.
- Hacker Architects: Portland, Oregon-based firm with deep expertise in multifamily housing, affordable housing, and sustainable design. Comparable in affordable housing project mix and high-performance multifamily specialization.
- Bruner/Cott & Associates: New England-based architecture firm with strong portfolio in sustainable renovation, adaptive reuse, and educational/institutional projects. Comparable regional footprint, project type overlap, and sustainability commitment.
- Lake|Flato Architects: Texas-based sustainable architecture firm known for regionally integrated, high-performance design across residential, educational, and community projects. Comparable to KTA in mission-driven approach, sustainability leadership, and award-winning portfolio depth.
- Whitten Architects: Portland, Maine-based architecture firm with strong sustainability and Net Zero residential portfolio. Direct regional peer serving overlapping Northeast clientele with similar high-performance design philosophy.
Broad incumbents
- Perkins&Will: Global architecture firm with established sustainability practice, Living Building Challenge expertise, and large educational/institutional portfolio. Broader incumbent whose sustainability studio competes for similar mission-driven clients at larger scale.
- Payette: Boston-based architecture firm with strong higher education and healthcare portfolios and a longstanding commitment to sustainable design. Larger regional incumbent overlapping with KTA's educational and institutional segments.
Regional players
- designLAB architects: Massachusetts-based architecture firm with sustainability focus and educational/institutional portfolio. Comparable in building typology mix and Northeast service geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kaplan Thompson Architects social profiles
Digital presenceKaplan Thompson Architects compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
Kaplan Thompson Architects financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kaplan Thompson Architects leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Kaplan Thompson Architects subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Kaplan Thompson Architects funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kaplan Thompson Architects 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 Kaplan Thompson Architects
What does Kaplan Thompson Architects do?
Kaplan Thompson Architects is a Portland, Maine-based architectural firm providing sustainable, high-performance building design services across single-family residential, multi-family, educational, and community project types. Its work centers on Passive House, Net Zero Energy, and Living Building Challenge principles, including new construction, deep energy retrofits, and affordable multifamily developments for clients throughout New England.
Is Kaplan Thompson Architects a public or private company?
Kaplan Thompson Architects is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Kaplan Thompson Architects founded?
Kaplan Thompson Architects was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Kaplan Thompson Architects based?
Kaplan Thompson Architects is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Kaplan Thompson Architects make money?
One revenue line is on record: architectural Design Services.
Who are Kaplan Thompson Architects's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BldgType Architecture, Annum Architects, BNIM, Hacker Architects, Bruner/Cott & Associates, Lake|Flato Architects and Whitten Architects. Broad incumbents are Perkins&Will and Payette. designLAB architects is listed as a regional player.
Does Kaplan Thompson Architects have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kaplan Thompson Architects.
What industry is Kaplan Thompson Architects in?
Kaplan Thompson Architects's product category is Architectural Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAA, Architectural Design Services, with a secondary code of HSAPAEAB, Architectural Reconfiguration & Structural Alterations. Its NAICS code is 54131.