Build It Green

What Build It Green does

Build It Green is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2005–2006 and headquartered in Oakland, operating a portfolio of programs aimed at transforming the state's housing ecosystem through regenerative and small-scale development. Its core offerings include the Small Development Incubator (active in East Bay, Sacramento, and as of February 2025 Alameda County), the Regenerative Neighborhoods Initiative (place-based work in South Berkeley and Alameda Point), the Builder and Developer Affinity Group, the statewide California Housing System Innovators Network, Catalyzation Initiatives (CAT) on codes, financing, and land ownership, the POWER Group on home electrification, and a $200,000 Housing Network Innovation Fund. The organization does not sell a software product; its underlying infrastructure is a network-convening and content-production platform comprising events (biennial Innovators Network Gatherings, virtual roundtables, bootcamps), newsletters, video, and frameworks such as the Regenerative Neighborhood Development Creed.

Build It Green's historical flagship, GreenPoint Rated, certified over 130,000 California homes between 2006 and 2025 and influenced the development of CALGreen, the state's residential green building code; the program was transitioned to Habinex, a California Benefit Corporation, in August 2025. The Mix & Match Toolkit—a community housing-design board game created in response to the 2021 Dixie Fire housing crisis—exemplifies the organization's productized community-engagement approach.

The business model is philanthropic rather than commercial. Revenue is generated through individual donations (check, wire, stock), program sponsorships (Swinerton, LMNOP Design, San Francisco Foundation as named), founding-sponsor packages, and institutional grants, the largest of which is a $4.8 million California Energy Commission EPIC Grant supporting POWER Group home-electrification work. Programs and resources are delivered to participants free of charge, with go-to-market executed through community-led and event-driven engagement rather than sales. The organization maintains a small core team of roughly seven staff plus an eleven-member Board of Directors drawn from aligned industry organizations (StopWaste, Swinerton, David Baker Architects, LMNOP Design, BuildZig, RMI, AGI Avant Group).

Name

Build It Green

Legal name

Build It Green

Website

https://builditgreen.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Build It Green is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit that convenes housing system changemakers through programs such as the Small Development Incubator, Innovators Network, and POWER Group, supporting small-scale developers, neighborhood leaders, and electrification practitioners across the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Housing & Community Development Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House) (IMAFABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Affordable Housing Development & Construction (IMAFABAI), Green Building & Energy-Efficient Construction (LEED, Weatherization) (EDAOAAAO), Housing Development, Construction & Rehabilitation Programs (BPAIANAB)

Keywords

• Regenerative housing development
• Small-scale developer training
• Community development programs
• Affordable housing initiatives
• Housing ecosystem networks

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Build It Green accepts individual donations via check, wire transfer, or stock transfers. Donations are tax-deductible as a Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization with EIN 20-0939449.
2. Program Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support specific programs such as the Builder and Developer Affinity Group. Sponsors include Swinerton, LMNOP Design, and San Francisco Foundation. Janet Lees handles sponsorship inquiries.
3. Founding Sponsors: Build It Green offers Founding Sponsor opportunities for their new era initiatives, providing deeper engagement and recognition for major supporters.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Build It Green runs training, convening, and grant programs that support small-scale residential developers, connect established builders and architects through an affinity group, convene a statewide Housing System Innovators Network, partner with residents and municipalities on regenerative neighborhood initiatives, and administer the POWER Group focused on home electrification. Its offerings are delivered free of charge to participants and funded through donations, sponsorships, and grants.

Product overview

Build It Green is a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and initiatives focused on transforming California's housing system through regenerative development practices. The core offerings include the Small Development Incubator (supporting small-scale developers), the Regenerative Neighborhoods Initiative (community-led neighborhood development), the Builder and Developer Affinity Group (professional network), and the California Housing System Innovators Network (statewide collaborative network). Supporting infrastructure includes the Housing Network Innovation Fund (grant program), Catalyzation Initiatives (transformative projects), the Small Development Network Directory (partner directory), Network Gatherings (events), and Newsletters. Previously, Build It Green operated GreenPoint Rated (GPR), a residential green building rating system that has now transitioned to Habinex. The affiliated POWER Group focuses on power-efficient home electrification. The organization does not offer a software product or technology platform with API integrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GreenPoint Rated: A residential green building rating system that certifies homes meet rigorous environmental standards. Over 130,000 homes were certified through the program. Note: This program has since transitioned to Habinex.

Products and services

• Small Development Incubator A program supporting small-scale residential infill developers and builders with training, resources, and connections to bring equitable, nature-friendly, community-rooted housing to California neighborhoods, particularly in the East Bay, Sacramento, and Alameda County regions.
• Regenerative Neighborhoods Initiative A community-led initiative partnering with residents, local leaders, developers, and municipalities to co-create frameworks for housing that supports multi-issue systemic change in California neighborhoods such as South Berkeley, Alameda Point, and Greenville.
• Builder and Developer Affinity Group A professional network that connects established developers, builders, and designers to develop perspectives, mindsets, and skills to become nurturers of people, places, and nature. Supported by program sponsors including Swinerton and LMNOP Design.
• California Housing System Innovators Network A statewide network bringing together builders, designers, developers, advocates, community-based leaders, and decision-makers to transform California's housing system through peer learning, relationship building, and collaborative initiatives including biennial Gatherings.
• Housing Network Innovation Fund A grant program providing $5,000 to $50,000 seed funding to emerging and early-stage project ideas generated within the California Housing System Innovators Network.
• Catalyzation Initiatives (CAT) Co-created initiatives focused on codes and standards, innovative financing models, and land acquisition/shared ownership practices that enable housing and neighborhood development to nurture people, places, and nature.
• POWER Group A network of 200+ collaborators dedicated to making home electrification easier, faster, and more cost-effective through Power Efficient Design (PED) approaches that avoid unnecessary panel and service upsizing. Supported by a $4.8M California Energy Commission EPIC Grant.
• GreenPoint Rated (GPR) A residential green building rating system that certified over 130,000 homes in California with four tiers of certification (Rated to Platinum). The program was operated by Build It Green from 2006 until its transition to Habinex in August 2025.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 130,000 homes certified through GreenPoint Rated program
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• StopWastecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic agency partner collaborating with Build It Green on the East Bay Small Development Incubator. StopWaste advances the responsible use of resources in Alameda County and co-hosted events including the Small-Scale Development Workshop in March 2025.
• Incremental Development Alliance (IncDev)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization that trains small developers, partnering with Build It Green to deliver training content and workshops for the Small Development Incubator. Led by Alli Thurmond Quinlan, Acting Director.
• HabinexminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalifornia Benefit Corporation that assumed administration of the GreenPoint Rated program from Build It Green in 2025. Led by Vaidehi Seth and Anish Kumar, both with deep connections to Build It Green's mission and community.
• City of SacramentocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Sacramento Small Development Incubator Program. City of Sacramento's Community Development department runs a sister program supporting small-scale development in the Sacramento region.
• Healthy Black Families Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrong partnership focused on South Berkeley regenerative development work. Organizations collaborated on the 2025 Housing System Innovators Network Gathering and the Right to Stay, Right to Return campaign for historic South Berkeley.
• PLACE InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the Sacramento Small Developer Boot Camp Incubator and participant in Innovators Network activities. Supports equitable housing and community development initiatives.
• Bay Area LISCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity development organization participating in the Virtual Roundtable on Finance and supporting small-scale housing financing initiatives. Part of the network addressing Bay Area housing challenges.
• SwinertonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProgram sponsor of the Builder and Developer Affinity Group. Regional Community Relations Manager Mick Penn serves as Board Treasurer for Build It Green.
• LMNOP Design Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerProgram sponsor of the Builder and Developer Affinity Group. Principal Tyler Pew serves on Build It Green's Board of Directors and received Innovation Fund support.
• Program Committee PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIA East Bay, BIG Oakland, Capital Impact Partners, Oakland Builders Alliance, East Bay Economic Development Alliance, Terner Labs, City of Hayward, City of Fremont, City of Oakland provide input on Small Development Incubator training content.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• StopWaste: Alameda County public agency advancing responsible resource use and a core Build It Green partner on the East Bay Small Development Incubator. Operates overlapping programming on green building and small-scale development in the same Bay Area geography.
• Incremental Development Alliance: National nonprofit that trains small-scale residential developers, closely aligned with Build It Green's Small Development Incubator. IncDev is a core delivery partner (Alli Thurmond Quinlan) on BIG's California incubator programs, making it the most direct functional peer.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National community development financial institution that funds affordable housing and small developers. Bay Area LISC staff participate in Build It Green's Virtual Roundtable on Finance and serve as a network partner, making LISC a directly comparable community development peer.
• Terner Labs: Housing innovation initiative at UC Berkeley focused on small-scale and missing-middle housing development. Targets the same small-developer ecosystem in California and is cited as a Program Committee partner of BIG's Small Development Incubator.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC): Largest U.S. green building standards and certification organization (LEED). Operates broadly across the same green/residential building ecosystem Build It Green has historically served through GreenPoint Rated, but at much larger national scale.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit focused on affordable housing and community development finance. Operates in the same affordable/sustainable housing space as Build It Green but at much larger scale with a national footprint and direct lending capability.
• Urban Land Institute (ULI): Global research and education organization focused on land use and real estate development. ULI California convenes housing and development professionals across the same audiences Build It Green serves via its Innovators Network and affinity groups.
• Habitat for Humanity: Large national nonprofit building affordable and increasingly sustainable housing. Comparable mission overlap with Build It Green on affordable homeownership and green building, but operates at vastly greater scale via affiliate model.

Emerging players

• GreenHome Institute: Michigan-based nonprofit offering green building education, certification, and ratings. Closely comparable to Build It Green's historical GreenPoint Rated role but at a smaller, regional scale with overlapping educational programming.
• PLACE Initiative: California-based organization supporting equitable small-scale housing and community development. Co-organizes the Sacramento Small Developer Boot Camp with Build It Green, making it a close program-level peer in the small-dev ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/werbuilditgreen
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/BuildItGreen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/builditgreen
• Instagraminstagram.com/builditgreenorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Build It Green