What New Ecology does

New Ecology, Inc. (NEI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1999 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with additional offices in Wilmington, Delaware and Baltimore, Maryland. The firm operates at the intersection of climate, housing, and equity, delivering building performance consulting to affordable housing developers, public housing authorities, and state/local government agencies. Its core services include green building certification facilitation (Passive House/PHIUS, LEED, ENERGY STAR, Enterprise Green Communities), deep energy retrofits and decarbonization planning, building performance monitoring and testing, and portfolio-scale climate resilience assessments. NEI administers programs on behalf of government agencies — most notably serving as the technical assistance provider and program administrator for Energize Delaware's Affordable Multifamily Housing Program — and has delivered first-in-the-nation portfolio assessments such as the Massachusetts DHCD Climate Hazard and Resilience Masterplan (CHARM) and the Delaware State Housing Authority's 215-property risk and resiliency assessment.

NEI's business model is professional services-based: revenue is generated through project-based consulting engagements contracted via competitive RFP processes with government agencies and direct agreements with developer clients, supplemented by grants and program administration fees. The firm works through cross-functional teams of building scientists, engineers, energy modelers, and green building raters delivering work across the full project lifecycle — from pre-design through construction, certification, and post-occupancy — and extends national reach through a partner referral network called the Relay Network. NEI's measurable outcomes include homes operating at under $100/month in energy costs (Bennett Street, Delaware), HERS scores as low as 33 (the lowest in Delaware), and several first-in-state Passive House certifications. The firm is led by CEO Kim Stevenson following Ed Connelly's retirement in 2023, and operates without venture capital or private equity funding, relying on government contracts, grants, and fee-for-service consulting revenue.

Name

New Ecology

Legal name

New Ecology, Inc.

Website

https://newecology.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

New Ecology is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1999 that delivers sustainability consulting, green building certification, decarbonization, and climate resilience services to affordable housing developers and government housing agencies across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and nationally through its Relay Network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability and Green Building Consulting

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

akta.pro primary industry

Real Estate ESG / Sustainability & Resilience Advisory (Decarbonization, Climate Risk) (BPAJANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF), Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)

Keywords

• Green building consulting
• Building decarbonization
• Affordable housing services
• Climate resilience planning
• Energy efficiency consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Technical Consulting Services: New Ecology provides technical consulting services to developers, property owners, and real estate development teams. Services include design support, green building certification facilitation, construction oversight, and post-occupancy evaluation. Revenue is generated through project-based consulting engagements contracted via RFP or direct client relationships.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

New Ecology delivers technical consulting services that make affordable housing high-performing, climate-resilient, and decarbonized. Offerings span green building certification facilitation (Passive House/Phius, LEED, ENERGY STAR, Enterprise Green Communities), existing building decarbonization and deep energy retrofit planning, portfolio-scale climate resilience assessments, and applied research. The organization also acts as program administrator for government-funded energy programs such as Energize Delaware.

Product overview

New Ecology, Inc. is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of technical consulting and program services focused on sustainable, resilient, and affordable housing. The core offerings include Green Building Services (high-performance building design review and certification), Existing Building Decarbonization (energy efficiency and electrification planning), Climate Smart Communities (portfolio-wide resilience assessments), and Applied Research & Development. Supporting services include the BuildingWell Podcast for thought leadership, the Relay Network for national partner coordination, and technical assistance programs for green building certifications including Passive House (Phius), LEED, ENERGY STAR, and Enterprise Green Communities. The company operates as a services-based organization rather than a software product company, providing expertise through project consulting, audits, testing, and training rather than standalone software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BuildingWell Podcast: The BuildingWell podcast from New Ecology deep-dives into the past, present, and future of sustainable development in affordable housing. Available on all streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

Products and services

• Green Building Services Technical consulting services for high-performance new construction and major renovation building projects, including design review, construction inspection, and green building certification facilitation (Passive House/Phius, LEED, ENERGY STAR, Enterprise Green Communities). Targeted at developers, housing authorities, and property owners of affordable multifamily housing.
• Existing Building Decarbonization Services to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and eliminate fossil fuel consumption in existing multifamily buildings through deep energy retrofits, decarbonization audits, ASHRAE Level II audits, and zero-over-time planning.
• Climate Smart Communities Community-scale climate resilience planning and implementation services, including portfolio-level vulnerability assessments, resilience opportunity tools, and capacity building for local housing authorities. Includes first-in-the-nation assessments such as the DSHA 215-property risk analysis and the Massachusetts DHCD CHARM project for ~80,000 residents.
• Applied Research & Development Data-driven analysis and development of climate resilience tools, energy modeling, benchmarking services, and applied research to advance sustainable and resilient housing practices. Used to inform public agency program design and affordable housing developer decision-making.

Quantifiable outcome

• Homes operating at under $100/month in energy costs — Bennett Street, Delaware
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 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

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Energize DelawarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergize Delaware is a RGGI-funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the state's Sustainable Energy Utility. NEI administers the Energize Delaware Affordable Multifamily Housing Program, providing technical assistance, performance guidance, and testing/verification services to affordable housing projects across Delaware. Energize Delaware funds projects and NEI delivers the on-the-ground technical work. This is a flagship partnership through which NEI receives a steady pipeline of projects across Delaware's affordable housing sector.
• NeighborGood PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeighborGood Partners is a Dover-based nonprofit developer of affordable housing. They partnered with NEI and Energize Delaware on the North Kirkwood Street Passive House project — Delaware's first Phius-certified homes — and the Bennett Street Redevelopment partnership. NEI provided technical assistance, performance guidance, testing and verification, education and training, and coordination across the project team.
• Habitat for Humanity of New Castle CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHabitat for Humanity of New Castle County led the Bennett Street Redevelopment partnership alongside Todmorden East LLC and NEI, with funding from Energize Delaware. The partnership delivered all-electric, energy-efficient affordable homes achieving HERS scores as low as 33 and was honored as a finalist for the 2025 Groundbreaker Award for Equity and Community Leadership.
• Todmorden East, LLC / Todmorden FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTodmorden East LLC and the Todmorden Foundation developed neighboring blocks of the Bennett Street redevelopment alongside Habitat for Humanity, with NEI providing technical assistance and Energize Delaware providing funding. This partnership created a unique replicable model for climate-smart affordable housing now expanding statewide through the Climate Smart Homes Program.
• Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDSHA selected NEI to conduct a first-in-the-nation comprehensive Risk Analysis and Resiliency Assessment of the state-assisted affordable housing portfolio of 215 funded properties. NEI partnered with Linnean Solutions on this project. DSHA also selected NEI to provide technical assistance during design and construction of Liberty Court Apartments.
• Massachusetts DHCDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEI developed the Climate Hazard and Resilience Masterplan (CHARM) for DHCD — developing readily-deployable climate resilience tools to enable DHCD to direct capital funds and provide capacity building to local housing authorities to mitigate climate vulnerabilities for the 80,000 residents living in DHCD-supported housing.
• District of Columbia DOEE (Solar for All Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough funding from DC DOEE's Solar for All program, NEI joined Enterprise Community Partners, the National Housing Trust, and Clean Energy Group to develop a vulnerability and resilience opportunity assessment tool for affordable housing owners in Washington DC, advancing the goals of Climate Ready DC.
• Enterprise Community PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnterprise Community Partners collaborated with NEI, the National Housing Trust, and Clean Energy Group on the DC DOEE Solar for All resilience assessment project. Enterprise is a major affordable housing CDFI and developer support organization.
• National Housing TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Housing Trust partnered with NEI, Enterprise Community Partners, and Clean Energy Group on the DC DOEE resilience assessment tool development project. NHT is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving affordable housing.
• Clean Energy GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClean Energy Group participated in the DC DOEE Solar for All resilience assessment project alongside NEI, Enterprise, and the National Housing Trust.
• Beacon CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeacon Communities partnered with Boston Housing Authority to redevelop the Old Colony public housing into The Anne M. Lynch Homes — a U.S. DOE Better Buildings Challenge Showcase Project. NEI provided green building technical expertise as part of the redevelopment team.
• Homeowner's Rehab, Inc. (HRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRI is a nonprofit owner and developer of affordable housing. NEI supported HRI on multiple projects including Finch Cambridge (first Phius-certified affordable multi-family development in MA) and 808-812 Memorial Drive (energy and water savings through auditing).
• Capstone Communities and MPZ DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCapstone Communities and MPZ Development purchased the McElwain Grammar School to convert it into multifamily mixed-income housing — the first Phius Multifamily building in Plymouth County, MA. NEI provided technical assistance on the Passive House certification.
• Capital Realty GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCapital Realty Group, owner of Carrington Way (165-unit complex in Newark, DE), enrolled the property in the Energize Delaware Affordable Multifamily Housing Program, with NEI providing technical assistance for energy and water efficiency upgrades.
• SHP Management Corp.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSHP Management Corp. engaged NEI to conduct ASHRAE Level II audits and prepare bid documents for a design/build renovation at Plaza on the Green, a 157-unit senior housing complex in Waterbury, CT.
• MassHousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEI conducted a resiliency planning portfolio assessment for MassHousing to help mitigate climate impacts on residents and protect building investments in the Massachusetts affordable housing portfolio.
• East Boston CDCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEast Boston CDC was the developer of the Zumix Community Music Center project — the adaptive reuse of the historic Engine Company 40 Firehouse. NEI served as the primary owner's representative and green consultant on the project.
• NESEA (Northeast Sustainable Energy Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNESEA is a regional nonprofit and conference organization in the Northeast. NEI staff have presented at NESEA BuildingEnergy Boston and participate in NESEA's emerging professionals track. NESEA's podcast platform also features the BuildingWell podcast.
• ABCD (Action for Boston's Community Development)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerABCD is a nonprofit community action agency building pathways out of poverty. NEI collaborated on BuildingWell podcast Episode 9 covering Pathways to Equitable Energy Efficiency, discussing large energy, electrification, and decarbonization programs in Massachusetts.
• Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (Mass CEC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMass CEC is a state agency supporting clean energy workforce development. NEI's BuildingWell podcast featured Mass CEC's Program Director for Adult Training and MWBE Support on Episode 10, discussing clean energy workforce opportunities and training for businesses transitioning to a clean energy economy.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE): Nonprofit that administers clean energy and energy efficiency programs for states and utilities nationwide. Comparable to NEI's program-administration and technical-assistance role, with broader geographic reach.
• Elevate Energy: Nonprofit focused on energy efficiency and decarbonization in affordable multifamily housing in the Midwest. Directly comparable mission, customer base (developers + housing authorities), and service mix (audits, retrofits, program design).
• Slipstream: Nonprofit environmental and energy efficiency organization providing consulting, program design, and applied research for utilities and governments. Closely comparable service portfolio and customer profile to NEI.
• Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC): Nonprofit energy efficiency consultancy that administers statewide efficiency programs (e.g., Efficiency Vermont). Highly comparable to NEI's role running Energize Delaware and providing technical services to affordable housing and government clients.

Broad incumbents

• TRC Companies: Large engineering and consulting firm with a dedicated energy and sustainability practice serving utilities, governments, and developers. Comparable technical advisory scope to NEI at meaningfully greater scale.
• Resource Innovations: For-profit clean energy and energy efficiency consulting firm (formed via merger of Nexant and others). Competes for the same statewide program-administration and evaluation RFPs as NEI but with broader geographic and service scope.
• ICF International: Large public consulting firm with deep environmental, energy, and climate resilience practices. Competes for the same federal and state resilience/decarbonization contracts as NEI but with substantially more bench and geographic reach.
• Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI): Large nonprofit focused on clean energy transformation, including buildings and equitable decarbonization. Overlaps with NEI on decarbonization advisory and policy thought leadership, though operating at a much larger scale.

Others

• National Housing Trust: Nonprofit focused on preserving and improving affordable rental housing. NEI has partnered with NHT on DC DOEE resilience work; adjacent rather than competitive, as NHT is more of an owner/preservation entity than a technical consultancy.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National CDFI and affordable housing developer-support organization that operates in adjacent space (financing + technical assistance for affordable developers). NEI has partnered with Enterprise on DC resilience work, but Enterprise is much larger and primarily a capital/development intermediary.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@newecologyinc.1536/podcasts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-ecology
• Xx.com/NewEcologyInc

Compliance6 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 New Ecology