Carbon Zero Buildings
Carbon Zero Buildings is a California design-build general contractor that retrofits multifamily real estate with clean energy technologies, serving property owners and investors statewide through end-to-end decarbonization services and incentive program navigation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersLafayette, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Carbon Zero Buildings does
Carbon Zero Buildings is a California design-build general contractor specializing in profitable zero-carbon retrofits for multifamily real estate. Founded in 2022 and headquartered in Lafayette, California, the firm operates with a small team of 1–10 employees under principals Greg Sherman and Andy McNamara, both of whom bring more than 15 years of exclusive California multifamily experience and a track record of retrofitting over 20,000 units across 400+ properties. The company's services span three integrated categories: Energy Efficiency Solutions (LED lighting, efficient windows, insulation, smart thermostats, variable speed drives, intelligent building controls), Building Electrification Services (heat pump water heaters, heat pump HVAC, pool heaters, induction cooktops, electric dryers, EV chargers), and Energy Generation Systems (solar PV, electric batteries, thermal batteries). Notable technical differentiators include a proprietary commercial HPWH design that eliminates swing tanks and achieves a true system COP above 3.5, alongside a product-agnostic technology selection approach.
The company runs a full end-to-end engagement model, covering property identification, scope development, incentive financing, design, permitting, procurement, construction, commissioning, warranty, and ongoing maintenance. Its go-to-market is a sales-led enterprise motion targeting California multifamily property owners and investors, supported by free property assessments, portfolio-level analysis, and active navigation of more than 25 state and utility incentive programs. The firm has secured over $40 million in client incentive funding to date, with project economics typically delivering $5,000–$15,000 per apartment unit. Pricing for the firm's own services is not publicly disclosed; customer concentration appears to sit across both mid-market and institutional multifamily owners, with AvalonBay Communities identified as an enterprise reference customer.
Revenue is generated through project-based design-build construction fees and professional services for incentive procurement and scope development. The addressable market is anchored by California's 2030 natural gas appliance ban, a $1 billion annual state incentive budget, and over 14 million housing units facing energy infrastructure transformation. The firm is privately held with no disclosed institutional funding, subsidiaries, or parent organization, and received the 2025 Commercial HPWH Market Transformer Award from the Advanced Water Heating Initiative.
Carbon Zero Buildings firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Carbon Zero Buildings
- Legal name
- Carbon Zero Buildings
- Website
- https://carbonzerobuild.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Carbon Zero Buildings is a California design-build general contractor that retrofits multifamily real estate with clean energy technologies, serving property owners and investors statewide through end-to-end decarbonization services and incentive program navigation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Carbon Zero Buildings industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Building Decarbonization Services
- NAICS
- Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (238220), Residential Building Construction (2361)
- SIC
- General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), Electrical Work (1731), Auto Controls For Regulating Residential & Comml Environments (3822)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House) (IMAFABAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Commissioning, Retro-Commissioning & Controls Tuning (BPABAGAL), Energy Efficiency & Green Retrofit Financing (FSALAHAK), Decarbonization Strategy & Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) Advisory (EUABAKAC)
Keywords
Where Carbon Zero Buildings is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lafayette
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Carbon Zero Buildings business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Design-Build Construction Services: As a licensed design-build general contractor, the company generates revenue through project-based fees for retrofitting multifamily buildings with clean energy technologies. Services include design, permitting, procurement, installation, commissioning, and warranty. Revenue is generated from the construction and installation work performed on client properties.
- Project Development and Incentive Procurement: Revenue derived from identifying projects, developing customized scopes of work, and securing incentive program funding for clients. The company works with multiple funding sources including utility programs, state incentives, and other clean energy subsidies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free Assessment |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Carbon Zero Buildings product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Carbon Zero Buildings is a licensed design-build general contractor that retrofits multifamily buildings in California with clean energy technologies. Its offering spans three integrated service categories—Energy Efficiency Solutions (LED lighting, efficient windows, insulation, smart thermostats, variable speed drives, intelligent building controls), Building Electrification Services (heat pump water heaters, heat pump HVAC, heat pump pool heaters, induction cooktops, electric clothes dryers, EV chargers), and Energy Generation Systems (solar PV, electric batteries, thermal batteries)—delivered end-to-end from portfolio analysis and incentive funding procurement through design, permitting, construction, and ongoing service.
Product overview
Carbon Zero Buildings is a design-build general contractor offering profitable zero-carbon solutions for multifamily real estate in California. Their portfolio consists of three integrated service categories: Energy Efficiency Solutions (LED lighting, efficient windows, insulation, smart thermostats, variable speed drives, intelligent building controls), Building Electrification Services (heat pump water heaters, heat pump HVAC, heat pump pool heaters, induction cooktops, EV chargers), and Energy Generation Systems (solar photovoltaic, electric batteries, thermal batteries). Their end-to-end approach covers property identification, scope development, incentive financing, construction, and ongoing service and maintenance. Projects routinely secure $5,000 to $15,000 per apartment unit in incentives, with over $40 million secured for clients to date.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Energy Efficiency Solutions
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $40M in incentive funding secured for clients
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Carbon Zero Buildings
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Carbon Zero Buildings technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Carbon Zero Buildings partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators11 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Carbon Zero Buildings competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Bractlet: Bractlet provides building energy analytics and asset management software that helps owners prioritize and validate retrofits and electrification projects - an emerging technology player in the same decarbonization value chain as Carbon Zero Buildings.
Direct peers
- Sealed: Sealed designs, finances, and delivers home energy retrofits (insulation, heat pumps, electrification) in a turnkey model, directly comparable to Carbon Zero's design-build, incentive-procurement-led approach for residential buildings.
- BlocPower: BlocPower is a direct peer providing end-to-end building decarbonization, electrification, and financing services for multifamily and commercial buildings, with deep focus on incentive and financing program navigation - a very similar business model to Carbon Zero Buildings.
Broad incumbents
- McKinstry: McKinstry is a large national design-build firm offering energy efficiency, electrification, and building decarbonization services across multifamily, commercial, and institutional customers - a broader incumbent with overlapping capabilities in retro-commissioning and electrification.
- Franklin Energy: Franklin Energy is a national energy efficiency and electrification implementation contractor working with utilities and program administrators on residential and multifamily programs - highly comparable delivery model, though at a much larger scale and with utility-program focus.
- TRC Companies: TRC is a national engineering and consulting firm with an energy services practice covering retro-commissioning, energy efficiency, and electrification advisory and implementation for buildings - broad incumbent with overlapping service lines.
- Willdan: Willdan (which acquired Lime Energy) is a publicly traded energy and infrastructure services firm executing energy efficiency, decarbonization, and grid programs for utilities, governments, and property owners - a broad incumbent with overlapping multifamily and commercial offerings.
- CLEAResult: CLEAResult is one of the largest North American energy efficiency implementation firms, designing and delivering utility incentive programs including residential and multifamily electrification - directly comparable scope though broader and utility-administered.
- ENGIE North America (Impact): ENGIE's North American services arm delivers energy efficiency, electrification, and distributed energy solutions for commercial, institutional, and multifamily customers, often as a utility program implementer - a broad incumbent competing for the same decarbonization wallet share.
Others
- Slipstream: Slipstream is a nonprofit energy efficiency organization that runs Wisconsin's Focus on Energy program and provides technical assistance for multifamily and residential retrofits - thematically aligned as an ecosystem participant in program-driven building decarbonization.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Carbon Zero Buildings social profiles
Digital presenceCarbon Zero Buildings financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Carbon Zero Buildings leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Carbon Zero Buildings funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Carbon Zero Buildings 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 Carbon Zero Buildings
What does Carbon Zero Buildings do?
Carbon Zero Buildings is a licensed design-build general contractor that retrofits multifamily buildings in California with clean energy technologies. Its offering spans three integrated service categories—Energy Efficiency Solutions (LED lighting, efficient windows, insulation, smart thermostats, variable speed drives, intelligent building controls), Building Electrification Services (heat pump water heaters, heat pump HVAC, heat pump pool heaters, induction cooktops, electric clothes dryers, EV chargers), and Energy Generation Systems (solar PV, electric batteries, thermal batteries)—delivered end-to-end from portfolio analysis and incentive funding procurement through design, permitting, construction, and ongoing service.
Is Carbon Zero Buildings a public or private company?
Carbon Zero Buildings is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Carbon Zero Buildings founded?
Carbon Zero Buildings was founded in 2022. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Carbon Zero Buildings based?
Carbon Zero Buildings is headquartered in Lafayette, United States, in the North America region.
How does Carbon Zero Buildings make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Design-Build Construction Services are the primary driver. The others are project Development and Incentive Procurement.
Who are Carbon Zero Buildings's main competitors?
Bractlet is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Sealed and BlocPower. Broad incumbents are McKinstry, Franklin Energy, TRC Companies, Willdan, CLEAResult and ENGIE North America (Impact). Slipstream is listed as an others.
Does Carbon Zero Buildings have an API?
No public API is recorded for Carbon Zero Buildings.
What industry is Carbon Zero Buildings in?
Carbon Zero Buildings's product category is Building Decarbonization Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFABAH, Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House), with a secondary code of BPABAGAL, Commissioning, Retro-Commissioning & Controls Tuning. Its NAICS code is 238220 and its SIC code is 1520.