Building Energy Exchange

What Building Energy Exchange does

Building Energy Exchange (BE-Ex) is an independent nonprofit organization founded in 2014 and headquartered at Surrogate's Courthouse in downtown Manhattan. It functions as a center of excellence dedicated to accelerating building decarbonization by serving as a neutral, trusted resource and expert hub for the building industry. Its primary constituents are NYC building owners and property managers, architects and design professionals, affordable housing providers (including NYCHA and rent-regulated portfolios), and government agencies navigating complex climate legislation such as Local Law 97 and Local Law 32. The organization also serves women and gender-diverse professionals in the sustainability field through its WISE (Women in Sustainability & Energy) series.

BE-Ex's core offerings include interactive web-based tools — the LL97 Carbon Calculator (co-developed with NYC Accelerator and AKF Group) and the Heat Pump Planner — an on-demand e-learning platform (BE-Ex Ed at learn.be-exchange.org) featuring Passive House training and AIA continuing education credits, a curated library of reports and case studies, and a portfolio of in-person and virtual programming that delivered 67 events in 2025 reaching approximately 4,000 stakeholders. Content is largely free, with select fee-based training and event sponsorships. The organization co-develops resources with NYC government agencies (DOB, HPD, MOCEJ), NYSERDA, and technical partners (AKF Group, Bright Power, RMI). Sub-brands include the WISE series (1,700+ LinkedIn members), the Building Performance Partnership (BPP) national hub network (9 U.S. cities), the Daylight Hour annual campaign (6,500+ offices since 2014), and the Retrofit Playbook co-developed with RMI.

BE-Ex operates as a grant-funded nonprofit rather than a commercial entity. Revenue is sourced from government grants (NYSERDA as the primary government funder, NYC Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental Justice), foundation support (NRDC, Passive House Network), corporate sponsorships (Con Edison, NYPA, Vornado, Lutron), individual donations via PayPal, and rental of its physical event space at the Exchange. The Building Performance Partnership, co-founded with IMT, has expanded from five to nine U.S. hubs and is the primary vehicle for national footprint expansion. Leadership includes Richard Yancey as CEO, with board representation from Vornado Realty Trust and NRDC. The organization has no parent company and no disclosed venture capital or private equity backing.

Name

Building Energy Exchange

Legal name

Building Energy Exchange

Website

https://be-exchange.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Building Energy Exchange is a New York-based nonprofit center of excellence founded in 2014 that accelerates building decarbonization through educational resources, training, interactive tools, and convening programming for building owners, architects, and affordable housing providers, with a national hub network spanning nine U.S. cities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation & Government Grants: BE-Ex is primarily funded through grants from government agencies and foundations including NYSERDA, NYC Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental Justice, Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Passive House Network. These grants support specific initiatives such as the Decarbonizing NYC Offices project, Climate Ready Buildings Training, Future Housing Initiative, and the Passive House Training Series.
2. Donations & Sponsorships: BE-Ex accepts donations via PayPal and maintains a Founders Circle for major donors. The organization also receives sponsorships for specific programs and events, including its WISE series (sponsors: Con Edison, EN-POWER Group, Environ Energy, NYPA, NYSERDA, Sive Paget Riesel, Vornado), Celebrate BE-Ex event sponsorships ($1,500, $1,000, $500 tiers), and the Daylight Hour campaign (lead sponsor: Lutron).
3. Event Space Rental: BE-Ex operates 'The Exchange' — a physical space at Surrogate's Courthouse in Manhattan available for public and private events, including workshops, panel discussions, networking receptions, and training sessions.
4. Professional Training & Certifications: BE-Ex delivers fee-based and free technical training programs through BE-Ex Ed, including Passive House Training Series, Climate Mobilization Act trainings, and Strategic Decarbonization Planning courses. AIA continuing education credits are offered for many programs. Some training is offered free (e.g., Climate Ready Buildings Training, free CMA primer presentations).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Building Energy Exchange (BE-Ex) operates a nonprofit resource center that accelerates building decarbonization by delivering educational content, interactive compliance tools, training programs, and event programming to the NYC and national building industry. Its core offerings include web-based calculators (LL97 Carbon Calculator, Heat Pump Planner), an e-learning platform (BE-Ex Ed), technical reports and case studies, and structured training series on Passive House, Strategic Decarbonization Planning, and NYC climate laws.

Product overview

Building Energy Exchange operates as a resource center and educational hub for building decarbonization, offering a portfolio of interactive tools, training programs, educational resources, event series, and technical guidance. The core offerings include the Heat Pump Planner and LL97 Carbon Calculator as specialized online tools; BE-Ex Ed as an e-learning platform with Passive House training; Tech Primers covering building technologies; and comprehensive reports like the Decarbonization Roadmap for Multifamily Affordable Housing. These are complemented by event series (WISE, Climate Mobilization Act Series, High Rise | Low Carbon), the Radio BE-Ex podcast, the Daylight Hour campaign, and network programs like the Building Performance Partnership and Retrofit Playbook. The organization functions as a knowledge exchange rather than a traditional software product, providing resources and education to accelerate the transition to energy-efficient buildings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WISE (Women in Sustainability and Energy): An inclusive platform founded in 2015 for all people to learn from experienced leaders, share knowledge, and advance equity in the workplace within the sustainability and energy industries.
• Building Performance Partnership (BPP)
• Daylight Hour
• BE-Ex Ed
• Radio BE-Ex
• Retrofit Playbook
• Heat Pump Planner
• LL97 Carbon Calculator

Products and services

• LL97 Carbon Calculator

Quantifiable outcome

• 67 events per year, nearly 4,000 stakeholders reached annually (2025)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Buildings Action Coalition (BAC) / Enniscorthy ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2023BE-Ex joined the Buildings Action Coalition (BAC) in partnership with the Enniscorthy Forum and the UN Environment Programme's Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction. Richard Yancey, BE-Ex's Executive Director, signed an MOU with UNEP to collaborate on a worldwide mission to improve buildings, reduce carbon emissions, and promote high-performance building practices globally. BE-Ex contributes its extensive experience and capabilities while observing and learning from international best practices.
• NYC Mayor's Office of SustainabilitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019BE-Ex has partnered with the NYC Mayor's Office of Sustainability since its founding to develop and deliver educational resources on NYC climate laws, building codes, and decarbonization strategies. The partnership includes the Architect Advisory Council (AAC), which was convened jointly with the Mayor's Office and NYSERDA to help the architectural profession adapt to Local Law 32 and Local Law 97.
• NYC Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental Justice (MOCEJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBE-Ex works closely with MOCEJ on Climate Mobilization Act education, LL97 compliance resources, and the Affordable Housing Reinvestment Fund (AHRF) program. MOCEJ representatives (e.g., Joe Chavez, Director of Sustainable Buildings) participate as speakers and panelists at BE-Ex events. BE-Ex supported MOCEJ's development of the LL97 Carbon Calculator in partnership with AKF Group and NYC Accelerator.
• New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNYSERDA is BE-Ex's primary government funder and strategic partner. NYSERDA has funded multiple BE-Ex initiatives including: the Decarbonizing NYC Offices project, Climate Ready Buildings Training, Future Housing Initiative, Passive House Training Series, High Rise/Low Carbon series, Building Performance Partnership, International Pathways (Stockholm exchange), Grid-Interactive Building Showcase, and the Heat Pump Planner tool. NYSERDA co-develops content and provides program support across BE-Ex's portfolio.
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNRDC is a key strategic partner supporting BE-Ex's Climate Mobilization Act Series. With NRDC's support, BE-Ex holds programs demystifying the components of the Climate Mobilization Act and connecting the building community with compliance solutions. NRDC representatives (e.g., Donna De Costanzo, Regional Director, Northeast, Climate & Energy) serve on BE-Ex's Board of Directors as Vice Chair.
• NYC Housing Preservation & Development (HPD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBE-Ex partnered with NYC HPD to develop the 'Decarbonization Roadmap for Multifamily Affordable Housing' — a comprehensive manual providing best practices for affordable housing decarbonization, navigating LL97 compliance, and aligning building upgrades with capital planning. The roadmap includes five case study tear sheets covering different NYC affordable housing typologies.
• Bright PowercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBright Power served as a co-developer (with BE-Ex and HPD) of the Decarbonization Roadmap for Multifamily Affordable Housing. Bright Power experts (Jeff Perlman, Jon Braman) have authored LL97 analysis articles for BE-Ex's resource library, providing technical guidance on building emissions limits for NYC building owners.
• Passive House Network (PHN)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPHN is BE-Ex's partner for intermediate to advanced Passive House professional certification training. BE-Ex's Passive House Training Series (Primer, Construction Primer, Fundamentals modules) is developed in partnership with PHN as part of a comprehensive training pathway. PHN offers advanced classes for practitioners pursuing Passive House certification.
• Swedish Energy AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBE-Ex partnered with the Swedish Energy Agency on the International Pathways series, including a fact-finding delegation to Stockholm (2023) and subsequent knowledge exchange events. The partnership produced the report 'International Exchanges – Solutions for Low Carbon Building: Stockholm.' The collaboration focuses on thermal energy networks, district heating, waste heat recovery, and best practices in commercial and multifamily building decarbonization.
• Stockholm ExergicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStockholm Exergi participated in BE-Ex's International Pathways programming, contributing expertise on carbon capture, thermal energy networks, and district heating innovations from Stockholm's leading energy provider. Their representatives (Erik Rylander, Johan Börje) featured in panel discussions at the Exchange.
• NYC AcceleratorcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBE-Ex partnered with NYC Accelerator and AKF Group to develop the LL97 Carbon Emissions Calculator — a widely used online tool that helps building owners estimate their Local Law 97 carbon penalties. NYC Accelerator provides free personalized guidance for energy efficiency upgrades in NYC buildings.
• AIANY (American Institute of Architects New York Chapter)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBE-Ex collaborates with AIANY on the Architect Advisory Council, Passive House Training Series, and joint programs on technical trainings and sustainability at the intersection of architecture. AIANY's Executive Director (Benjamin Prosky) served on the 2020 Architect Advisory Council. BE-Ex and AIANY co-host events and training programs for NYC architects.
• ASHRAE New York ChaptercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBE-Ex partners with ASHRAE NY on technical programming including the Climate Resiliency in NYC event and climate mobilization education. ASHRAE NY (represented by Charlie Marino) participated in the Architect Advisory Council and is committed to hosting roundtables on contractual language for Local Laws 32 and 97.
• Vornado Realty TrustcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVornado Realty Trust is a major sponsor of BE-Ex events and programs including the WISE series and Celebrate BE-Ex event. Vornado's Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer (Lauren Moss) serves as Chair of BE-Ex's Board of Directors. Vornado is a leading NYC real estate company with significant building portfolio subject to LL97.
• Con EdisoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCon Edison is a WISE series sponsor (Luminary sponsor) and partner in BE-Ex's programming on building electrification, thermal energy networks, and energy efficiency. Con Edison is NYC's primary utility and a key stakeholder in building decarbonization efforts.
• New York Power Authority (NYPA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerNYPA is a WISE series Luminary sponsor and partner in BE-Ex's educational programming. NYPA's Energy Manager exhibit launched at BE-Ex, and NYPA representatives participate in BE-Ex events on grid-interactive buildings and energy efficiency.
• Lutron ElectronicscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLutron served as lead sponsor of BE-Ex's 2025 Daylight Hour campaign, the annual social media initiative encouraging offices to dim lights and use natural daylight. Lutron is a leading lighting control manufacturer and a key player in commercial lighting efficiency.
• Building Performance Partnership (BPP) Hub NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe BPP is a growing national network of building decarbonization hubs co-founded by BE-Ex and IMT (Institute for Market Transformation). Starting with 5 hubs, the network expanded to 9 hubs (Boston/Massachusetts, California, Philadelphia, Aspen added) as of 2025. BPP delivers green lender training, building performance standard compliance training, and BE-Ex's resources nationally through local hub organizations.
• NYCEEC (New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNYCEEC partnered with BE-Ex on the Affordable Housing Reinvestment Fund (AHRF) program, an LL97 compliance offset mechanism. NYCEEC administers the AHRF and participates in BE-Ex's Climate Mobilization Act programming to educate building owners on AHRF offsets as a compliance pathway.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• NYSERDA: New York State energy research and development authority that funds much of BE-Ex's programming. Not a peer in the competitive sense but the dominant funder and strategic partner, frequently co-developing and co-branding resources (e.g., Passive House series, Decarbonizing NYC Offices).
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): International environmental nonprofit that supports BE-Ex's Climate Mobilization Act programming and sits on its board. Ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor, but its building-sector advocacy overlaps with BE-Ex's policy-implementation mission.

Direct peers

• NYC Accelerator: NYC government program that provides free personalized guidance for energy efficiency upgrades and co-developed the LL97 Carbon Calculator with BE-Ex. Direct functional peer in delivering LL97 compliance support to NYC building owners.
• Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP): Regional nonprofit that convenes states, utilities, and efficiency programs to accelerate building energy efficiency in the Northeast. Comparable to BE-Ex as a regional nonprofit convener producing tools, trainings, and policy guidance for building decarbonization stakeholders.
• Institute for Market Transformation (IMT): National nonprofit focused on building performance policy and market transformation; co-founder of the Building Performance Partnership with BE-Ex. Direct peer given shared operating model, hub-network structure, and building decarbonization mandate.
• New Buildings Institute (NBI): Nonprofit advancing energy efficiency and zero-carbon policy and practice in buildings, with focus on codes and performance standards. Direct peer in providing technical resources, training, and policy guidance to jurisdictions adopting building performance standards.
• Urban Green Council: NYC-based nonprofit that educates and advocates for sustainable building practices and policy. Closest analog to BE-Ex in mission, geography, and audience (architects, engineers, owners), with overlapping focus on NYC climate laws and high-performance buildings.
• Passive House Network: Nonprofit network delivering Passive House education, certification, and community-building. Direct peer and co-delivery partner for BE-Ex's Passive House Training Series, sharing the same training-audience and certification-driven nonprofit model.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC): National nonprofit that administers LEED and convenes the green building industry. Broader incumbent offering overlapping education, certification, and policy advocacy aimed at architects, engineers, and building owners BE-Ex serves.
• Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI): Large, well-resourced independent nonprofit focused on clean energy transformation; co-developed the Retrofit Playbook with BE-Ex. Broader incumbent in building decarbonization, with overlapping content on strategic decarbonization planning for retrofits.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/beexny
• YouTubevimeo.com/buildingenergyexchange
• Facebookfacebook.com/BuildingEnergyExchange
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/buildingenergyexchange
• Instagraminstagram.com/beex_ny

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Building Energy Exchange