What Steven Winter Associates does

Steven Winter Associates (SWA) is a U.S. building science and sustainability consulting firm founded in 1972 and headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, with additional offices in New York City (opened 2002), Washington, DC (1988), and Boston (2019, at Greentown Labs). The firm operates as a 100% employee-owned professional services practice (employee-owned since 2011, with a 2024 broad-based stock incentive plan) and reports 101-250 staff with deep credentials across Passive House, LEED, ENERGY STAR, accessibility inspection, and energy engineering. It has been led by CEO Srikanth Puttagunta since 2025, with founder Steven Winter continuing as Chairman of the Board.

SWA's offering is organized around three core practice areas. Sustainable Design & Construction covers energy modeling, whole-building life cycle assessment, embodied carbon analysis, green building certification support (LEED, Passive House PHI/PHIUS, ENERGY STAR, NGBS, Fitwel, WELL, Indoor airPLUS, Zero Energy Ready Homes, Enterprise Green Communities), net zero consulting, and building enclosure services using analytical tools such as THERM and WUFI. Energy Efficiency & Decarbonization delivers energy audits, portfolio decarbonization, benchmarking verification (including third-party BERDO and LL97 verification), commissioning, and operator training. Accessibility Consulting provides ADA, Fair Housing Act, Section 504, and ABA plan reviews, field inspections, remediation planning, and litigation/expert witness support. Supporting these are SWA Academy (online accredited training via AIA, PHI/PHIUS, NATE, BPI) and the Buildings + Beyond podcast.

Revenue is generated primarily through project-based consulting engagements for developers, building owners, architects, and government agencies, supplemented by a subscription/per-seat training channel and government program subcontracts (notably the Willdan-led $27M, three-year NYC Accelerator program and ongoing DOE Building America work led by SWA). Pricing is quote-based and tailored to project scope; no public rate card is disclosed. The firm is deeply embedded in U.S. green building policy — founder Steven Winter chaired USGBC and helped launch LEED, and SWA staff advise the NYC Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental Justice — and has provided energy advisory services covering 250M+ square feet in NYC and 150M+ square feet across the Mid-Atlantic.

Name

Steven Winter Associates

Legal name

Steven Winter Associates, Inc.

Website

https://swinter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Steven Winter Associates is a 100% employee-owned U.S. building science consulting firm (founded 1972) that provides energy efficiency, decarbonization, green building certification, and accessibility compliance services to developers, building owners, architects, and government agencies across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Massachusetts, and Toronto.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Norwalk

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sustainability & Energy Consulting Services: Professional consulting services including sustainable design & construction advisory, energy efficiency & decarbonization consulting, accessibility compliance consulting, building commissioning, and green building certification support. Revenue is generated through project-based consulting engagements, often with government agencies, developers, building owners, and architects. Engagements range from single-project mandates to multi-year program partnerships.
2. Education & Training (SWA Academy): Online and in-person training programs for practitioners and building staff covering high-performance building concepts, energy code compliance, accessibility requirements, and operations & maintenance. Courses are offered on a per-seat or subscription basis through the SWA Academy platform, accredited through multiple national organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Steven Winter Associates provides sustainability, energy efficiency, and accessibility consulting services for the built environment. Offerings include sustainable design and construction advisory, building energy efficiency and decarbonization planning, building commissioning, green building certification support, accessibility consulting and litigation support, and online training through the SWA Academy platform. Services are delivered to government agencies, developers, building owners, architects, and operators across North America.

Product overview

Steven Winter Associates is a sustainability, energy efficiency, and accessibility consulting firm operating since 1972. The company offers a portfolio of interconnected consulting services organized around three core practice areas: Sustainable Design & Construction (including green building certifications, net zero consulting, and building enclosures), Energy Efficiency & Decarbonization (including energy audits, portfolio decarbonization, and commissioning), and Accessibility Consulting (including compliance, litigation support, and technical assistance). Supporting these core services are training programs through SWA Academy, the Buildings + Beyond industry podcast, and research and policy development programs. The company also provides regional compliance services for NYC (Local Law 97), DC Metro (BEPS), Massachusetts (Stretch Code/BERDO), and Toronto (Green Standard). The firm is 100% employee-owned and serves developers, owners, agencies, architects, and other stakeholders across the built environment sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SWA Academy: Online learning platform offering virtual, self-paced courses spanning multiple disciplines from high-performance building concepts and technical guidance to accessibility compliance methodologies, accredited through AIA, PHI/PHIUS, NATE, BPI and more.
• Buildings + Beyond

Products and services

• Sustainable Design & Construction Consulting

Quantifiable outcome

• Passive House design at Sendero Verde uses approximately 50% less energy than comparable non-passive buildings
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Willdan GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026SWA partnered with Willdan Group as one of eight local firms to support the $27M, three-year NYC Accelerator program, helping building owners reduce greenhouse gas emissions and comply with Local Law 97. The program assists building owners in transitioning from energy awareness to actual project implementation.
• U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) - Building America ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025SWA was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy's Building America program to lead a team addressing technical challenges of decarbonizing the U.S. housing stock. SWA originally joined Building America in 1995 as one of the program's original teams and continues to provide research services three decades later. Team members include HR&A Advisors, Ecosystem, and Kinetic Communities Consulting.
• BlenderboxminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal sustainability firm partnered with Willdan Group and SWA for the NYC Accelerator program, providing support for building decarbonization in NYC.
• Bright PowerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy management firm partnered with Willdan Group and SWA for the NYC Accelerator program.
• Cadence OneFiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainability consulting firm partnered with Willdan Group and SWA for the NYC Accelerator program.
• Kinetic Communities ConsultingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity-focused sustainability consulting firm partnered with Willdan Group and SWA for the NYC Accelerator program. Also a team member on the DOE Building America team led by SWA.
• LIFE3minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainability firm partnered with Willdan Group and SWA for the NYC Accelerator program.
• TYTHEdesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainability design firm partnered with Willdan Group and SWA for the NYC Accelerator program.
• Urban Green CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNYC-based green building nonprofit partnered with Willdan Group and SWA for the NYC Accelerator program. The Urban Green Council also co-released a Local Law 97 Compliance Roadmap with ULI New York and the NYC Mayor's Office.
• Emerald Cities Collaborative (ECC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWA partnered with Emerald Cities Collaborative's DMV Region to deliver ReTune DC, a free building retuning training program supported by the DC Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE). The program provides technical training and paid externships for DC professionals and small business owners to build knowledge and career opportunities in building retuning. Cohort begins August 2026.
• Greentown LabscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWA established a new office at Boston-based climatetech incubator Greentown Labs. SWA's growing roster of local energy, sustainability, and accessibility consultants are based out of Greentown Labs' Somerville, MA flagship location. This partnership provides access to Boston's cleantech ecosystem and innovation community.
• The Clean Fight New YorkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWA serves as a customer partner in The Clean Fight New York's second cohort of startups working to decarbonize and electrify non-luxury residential and commercial buildings in New York, including affordable housing. SWA works with selected startups to provide technical expertise.
• NYSERDAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew York State Energy Research and Development Authority. SWA is a leading partner in NYSERDA programs including the Empire Building Challenge, Low Carbon Multifamily Retrofit Playbooks (developed with Building Energy Exchange and NYSERDA), NYC Multifamily Building Electric Heating Demand Profile Analysis, and NYSERDA's incentive programs for buildings. SWA has provided technical assistance for electrification of over 40 affordable housing buildings through NYC HPD programs funded by NYSERDA.
• Con EdisoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWA supports Con Edison's energy efficiency and electrification programs for New York City buildings. SWA is a leading partner in ConEd incentive programs and helps clients navigate these programs to maximize return on investment.
• DCSEU (DC Sustainable Energy Utility)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWA works with DCSEU to help clients navigate local incentive and rebate programs in Washington, DC to maximize return on energy efficiency investments.
• Building Innovation HubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWA has supported the Building Innovation Hub since its inception in 2019, developing resources and sharing expertise to help break down local BEPS and net zero mandates and further building electrification in Washington, DC.
• HR&A AdvisorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReal estate and economic development consultancy. Team member alongside SWA on the DOE Building America program, contributing expertise to the team addressing decarbonization of U.S. housing stock.
• EcosystemminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilding performance consultancy. Team member alongside SWA on the DOE Building America program, addressing technical challenges of decarbonizing U.S. housing stock.
• Urban Land Institute New York (ULI New York)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerULI New York and the NYC Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental Justice jointly released a Local Law 97 compliance roadmap for co-ops. SWA is referenced as a technical partner for decarbonization and building energy consulting that supports the implementation of recommendations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Atelier Ten: Environmental design consulting firm specializing in building performance, energy efficiency, and sustainability for architecture and real estate clients. Closely comparable to SWA in high-performance building consulting, LEED/Passive House expertise, and project-based delivery to developers and architects.
• New Ecology: Green building consulting firm focused on sustainable design, energy efficiency, and green building certification support for residential and multifamily projects. Directly comparable to SWA's affordable housing and Passive House work, including NYC HPD/NYCHA-style engagements.
• Bright Power: NYC-based energy services and software firm delivering energy audits, benchmarking, and decarbonization consulting for multifamily buildings. Directly comparable to SWA's energy efficiency and Local Law 97 compliance work; the two firms are partnered on the NYC Accelerator program.
• Elementa Consulting: Commissioning, energy, and sustainability consulting firm serving building owners, developers, and architects across North America. Closely comparable to SWA's building commissioning, energy efficiency, and decarbonization practice areas.
• Integral Group: MEP engineering and consulting firm with deep high-performance building, net zero, and Passive House expertise. Directly comparable to SWA's sustainable design, energy modeling, and net zero consulting across commercial and multifamily portfolios.
• PAE Consulting Engineers: MEP and sustainability engineering firm providing energy modeling, commissioning, and high-performance building consulting. Comparable to SWA across sustainable design, building enclosure, and commissioning services for commercial and institutional clients.

Broad incumbents

• Buro Happold: Global engineering consultancy with a substantial sustainability, decarbonization, and building performance practice. Overlaps with SWA in Passive House and high-performance design but competes from a much broader engineering portfolio and global footprint.
• Arup: Global engineering and consulting firm with deep sustainability, energy, and built environment practices. Overlaps with SWA on decarbonization, energy consulting, and resilient building design, but as part of a much larger multi-disciplinary portfolio.
• WSP: Global engineering firm with a major buildings practice including energy, sustainability, and decarbonization consulting. Competes with SWA for large government and enterprise mandates but offers the full breadth of engineering services alongside sustainability.
• Willdan Group: Energy services and consulting firm serving utilities, governments, and building owners across the US. Direct overlap with SWA on NYC Accelerator (the two firms are partners on the $27M program) and broader energy efficiency and decarbonization consulting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@stevenwinterassociates
• Facebookfacebook.com/stevenwinterassociates
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/steven-winter-associates
• Xx.com/_swinter

Compliance16 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

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 Steven Winter Associates