Breaking Ground Contracting

What Breaking Ground Contracting does

Breaking Ground Contracting is a privately held, woman-owned sustainable construction firm founded in 1997 and headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. The company delivers commercial and institutional construction services — pre-construction, general contracting, construction management, and design-build — with sustainability methodologies (LEED, Green Globes, WELL, PHIUS, Florida Green Building Coalition standards, life-cycle cost analysis, life-cycle assessment) embedded into project delivery rather than treated as add-ons. Its core technology stack is built around green-building certifications and a physical green roof demonstration project (a 1,500 sq ft garden and 51 solar PV panels at the headquarters) that doubles as a working model and education lab.

The business operates six interconnected revenue streams: four construction service lines (pre-construction, general contracting, construction management, design-build) priced on a project-specific, quote-based one-time basis; and two professional-services lines — the "My Sustainability Officer" consulting brand and a sustainability education and training program (packaged workshops, custom sessions, speaking engagements). The firm targets commercial developers, facility managers, A&E firms, corporations, non-profits, SMBs, government entities, and educational institutions across Northeast Florida with occasional Southeast Florida projects.

The company is founder-owned and operated: Mary Tappouni serves as President and Certified General Contractor, supported by a small team (1-10 employees) of project managers, superintendents, and credentialed green-building specialists. Distribution is direct and relationship-driven, with project wins coming from competitive bidding, direct invitations, and referrals. Marketing emphasizes thought-leadership content (a sustainability blog, LinkedIn, Twitter, client testimonials, and a stack of regional sustainability awards). The firm holds no external funding and has no disclosed subsidiaries or M&A activity.

Name

Breaking Ground Contracting

Legal name

Breaking Ground Contracting

Website

https://breakinggroundcontracting.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Breaking Ground Contracting is a woman-owned, Jacksonville-based sustainable construction firm founded in 1997 that delivers LEED-aligned general contracting, design-build, and construction management for commercial, government, healthcare, and institutional clients across Northeast Florida.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Construction Services

NAICS

Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors (2381)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Works General Contracting (IMAFAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education & Public Sector Interior Fit-Out (IMAFANAD)

Keywords

• Sustainable construction services
• Green building consulting
• Design-build construction
• Construction management services
• LEED certification consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Jacksonville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. General Contracting Services: Full-service general contracting for commercial and industrial projects including competitive bidding, quality workmanship, and self-performing services.
2. Construction Management: End-to-end project management from estimation to completion including project planning, quality control, safety management, and contract administration.
3. Design-Build Services: Full-service design and construction with single point of contact, coordinated project management, maximum efficiency, and reduced risk.
4. Pre-Construction Services: Expert planning and practical solutions including estimation, budgeting, life-cycle cost analysis, and financing support.
5. Sustainability Consulting: Bespoke sustainability consulting services for organizations including sustainability program implementation, compliance targets, team engagement, and innovation goals.
6. Education and Training Services: Specialized workshops, custom training sessions, and speaking engagements for sustainable transformation including packaged courses and custom-tailored sessions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Breaking Ground Contracting is a sustainable construction services firm providing pre-construction planning, general contracting, construction management, and design-build services in Northeast Florida. The company layers embedded sustainability consulting (branded as "My Sustainability Officer") and sustainability education/training onto its core construction delivery, targeting developers, corporations, government entities, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, non-profits, and small-to-medium businesses.

Product overview

Breaking Ground Contracting is a Jacksonville-based sustainable construction company offering a portfolio of interconnected construction and consulting services. The core offering consists of four construction service lines: Pre-Construction, General Contracting, Construction Management, and Design-Build. These are complemented by two consulting/education offerings—Sustainability Consulting (branded as 'My Sustainability Officer') and Sustainability Education & Training—which leverage the company's green building expertise to help clients achieve sustainability goals. The construction services integrate sustainability principles by default, while the consulting services extend this expertise to organizations seeking formal sustainability certifications or ESG implementation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• My Sustainability Officer: Sustainability consulting service brand providing embedded sustainability officers and sustainability program development for organizations

Products and services

• Pre-Construction Services
• General Contracting
• Construction Management
• Design-Build
• My Sustainability Officer (Sustainability Consulting)
• Sustainability Education & Training

Quantifiable outcome

• Completed projects on time and within budget with emphasis on minimal environmental impact
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• North Florida Green Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMary Tappouni is a founding member and Chair of the Board of Directors of the North Florida Green Chamber of Commerce, supporting sustainable business practices in the region.
• Florida Green Building CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMary Tappouni serves as a State Board member of the Florida Green Building Coalition. Company is a Florida Green Building Coalition Certifying Agent and Designated Professional.
• U.S. Green Building CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate member of the U.S. Green Building Council, supporting LEED certification and green building standards.
• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPast member of ABC National Green Committee. Recipient of ABC Excellence in Construction Award.
• Urban Land Institute North FloridaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPast Co-Chair of the Sustainability Committee for ULI North Florida, supporting sustainable land use and development in the region.
• Whole Heart (Therese Tappouni)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with mother's firm Whole Heart to diversify educational offerings through innovative programs focused on quality of life. Co-developed award-winning children's book 'Me and Green' and 'My Sustainable Summer' program for children.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Stellar: Jacksonville-based design-build firm with broad construction, mechanical, and engineering capabilities. Comparable as a regional full-service builder but much larger and more diversified than Breaking Ground.
• DPR Construction: National general contractor with a strong sustainability focus and green building expertise. Comparable in delivery of high-performance sustainable buildings, though operating at much larger scale across multiple geographies.
• Gilbane Building Company: National construction management and design-build firm with strong presence in education, healthcare, and government markets. Comparable customer segments to Breaking Ground though at much larger scale.
• Turner Construction Company: One of the largest general contractors in the U.S. with established sustainability programs. Competes in the same commercial and institutional sectors but with vastly greater resources and geographic reach.
• McCarthy Building Companies: National general contractor recognized for sustainable construction and LEED expertise. Overlaps with Breaking Ground's sustainable commercial and institutional focus, but operates at significantly larger scale nationally.
• Haskell: Jacksonville-headquartered design-build firm operating across commercial, industrial, and government sectors. A larger incumbent in the same regional market with overlapping capabilities, though broader in scope and significantly larger in scale.
• Skanska: Global construction and development company with strong sustainability positioning and green building credentials. Comparable in sustainable building focus but operates as a global incumbent with much broader capabilities.

Direct peers

• Auld & White Constructors: Jacksonville-based general contractor with a long-standing presence in Northeast Florida. Comparable in scale, geographic focus, and customer base (commercial, institutional, government) to Breaking Ground Contracting.
• Consigli Construction: Regional construction manager with strong sustainability focus serving the Northeast U.S. Comparable in size, customer base, and emphasis on sustainable practices, though operating in a different geography.
• Perry-McCall Construction: Jacksonville-based general contractor serving commercial and institutional clients in Northeast Florida. Directly comparable as a regional GC competing for similar commercial, government, and education projects in the same geographic market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/greengcjax
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/breaking-ground-contracting

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Breaking Ground Contracting