Kipnis Architecture + Planning

What Kipnis Architecture + Planning does

Kipnis Architecture + Planning (legal entity: Nathan Kipnis Architects, Inc.) is a privately held, founder-led sustainable architecture practice founded in 1993 and headquartered in Evanston, Illinois, with a second office in Boulder, Colorado established in 2020. The firm operates under a 'High Design/Low Carbon' design philosophy and is an early signatory to the AIA 2030 Commitment, focusing on Passive House certification (PHIUS), Net Zero energy design, bioclimatic architecture, LEED Platinum delivery, and passive solar integration. Core technical capabilities include specification of high-performance building envelopes (e.g., Tstuds thermally isolated wall studs), low-carbon material systems (e.g., CarbonCure concrete), and energy modeling targeting Passive House performance metrics such as roughly 1/10th conventional heating/cooling loads and HERS ratings as low as the 40s.

The firm offers a portfolio of architectural services spanning new residential construction, residential renovation, multi-family housing, mission-based and affordable housing, commercial interiors, aviation facility planning (including O'Hare Terminal 5 concessions), and urban/environmental planning. Revenue is generated through project-based professional service fees, with go-to-market driven by referrals, industry recognition, and thought leadership via lectures, awards, and earned media. The firm maintains core strategic partnerships with the NextHaus Alliance (integrated consortium), the American Institute of Architects, and the Passive House Institute US (PHIUS), supported by technology partnerships with Vectorworks (CAD) and Sierra Pacific Windows. The practice has accumulated 40+ documented awards spanning 1989–2025, including BLT Built Design Awards, AIA Illinois Design Excellence awards, PHIUS recognition, and LEED Platinum certifications, and serves clients across Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, California, Virginia, Texas, West Virginia, Washington D.C., and Panama.

Name

Kipnis Architecture + Planning

Legal name

Nathan Kipnis Architects, Inc.

Website

https://kipnisarch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kipnis Architecture + Planning is a founder-led sustainable architecture practice (founded 1993, Evanston IL with Boulder CO office) specializing in Passive House, Net Zero, and LEED-certified design for high-end residential, commercial, and aviation facility clients across multiple US states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Landscape Architectural Services (54132), Interior Design Services (54141)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regional & Land Use Planning (BPAHAKAE), Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Sustainable architecture services
• Passive house design
• Net zero residential design
• Commercial sustainable architecture
• Aviation facility planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Evanston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Professional architectural services including design, planning, and consulting for residential and commercial projects. Revenue generated through project-based fees for architectural services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kipnis Architecture + Planning is a sustainable architectural practice that provides full-service architectural design, planning, and consulting for residential, commercial, and aviation facility projects. The firm delivers high-performance buildings using its 'High Design/Low Carbon' methodology, specializing in Passive House certification, Net Zero energy design, bioclimatic design, and LEED-certified construction. Services span new residential construction, renovations, multi-family developments, commercial office and retail buildouts, airport terminal and concession planning, and sustainability consulting.

Product overview

Kipnis Architecture + Planning (KAP) is an architecture firm offering a portfolio of services centered on sustainable, high-performance architectural design. The core offering is the 'High Design/Low Carbon' architectural methodology applied across residential new construction, residential renovation, commercial, aviation facility planning, and master planning projects. The firm specializes in Passive House certification, Net Zero energy design, and LEED-certified projects. Services include sustainable consulting and design services. The portfolio spans single-family homes to large commercial and aviation projects, unified by a commitment to reducing environmental impact through integrated sustainable design.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Passive House buildings require approximately 1/10th the energy to heat and cool compared to conventional construction
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NextHaus AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKipnis Architecture + Planning is a proud member of NextHaus Alliance, an integrated team of professionals at the forefront of sustainable architecture, design, construction, landscaping and technology. The firm collaborated with NextHaus Alliance on the Evanston's First Passive House project.
• American Institute of Architects (AIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly signatory to the AIA's 2030 Commitment, rigorously working towards having projects be 'net zero' for their energy use by 2030. Nathan Kipnis serves as instructor for AIA+2030 Online Series courses.
• Phius (Passive House Institute US)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNathan Kipnis serves as instructor for Phius certification courses. The firm designs projects to meet Phius Passive House standards and PHIUS ZERO certification.
• Wayne Cable PhotographyminorOthersProject photography for multiple residential projects including Vernacular Vacation Home Wisconsin and other projects.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Perkins&Will: Global architecture firm with a dedicated sustainability practice and deep LEED expertise across commercial, healthcare, and institutional typologies. Comparable in sustainability-first positioning, but at vastly larger scale with broader service portfolio.
• HOK: Global design firm with a substantial sustainable design practice across aviation, commercial, and healthcare — notably overlapping KAP's aviation facility planning vertical at much larger scale.
• Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM): Global architecture and engineering firm with extensive sustainable design portfolio, including net-zero commercial and master planning work. Comparable in offering sustainable architecture services, but competes from a much broader institutional scale.

Direct peers

• Lake|Flato Architects: Texas-based sustainable architecture firm recognized for regional modernism and high-performance design across residential, commercial, and civic typologies. Comparable in sustainability-first identity and award-winning residential practice, though at a larger scale.
• CookFox Architects: New York-based sustainable architecture firm known for biophilic and high-performance design, with deep Passive House and net-zero expertise in residential and commercial. Comparable boutique-to-mid scale with similar mission-driven positioning around carbon-conscious design.
• BNIM Architects: Mid-sized architecture and planning firm nationally recognized for sustainability leadership, including multiple AIA COTE Top Ten awards. Comparable in integrated design philosophy spanning residential, commercial, and planning with a sustainability-first practice model.
• Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects: Small California-based architecture firm with deep sustainability expertise, multiple AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) awards, and comparable boutique scale. Highly comparable in mission, niche focus on high-performance design, and firm size.
• Olson Kundig: Seattle-based firm recognized for sustainable, craft-driven residential and commercial architecture. Comparable in high-design, custom residential orientation with growing emphasis on energy performance and Passive House standards.
• Mithun: Integrated design firm with a longstanding sustainability practice spanning architecture, interiors, and planning. Comparable in mission-aligned, integrated design approach with award-winning high-performance residential and commercial work.

Emerging players

• MASS Design Group: Mission-driven architecture firm focused on social and environmental impact, with significant Passive House and net-zero expertise in affordable and community housing. Comparable in sustainability mission and high-performance building expertise, particularly in the mission-based / affordable housing segment KAP also serves.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kipnisarch
• Facebookfacebook.com/kipnisarchitecture
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nathan-kipnis-architects-inc

Compliance8 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 Kipnis Architecture + Planning