Building Industry Association of Philadelphia

What Building Industry Association of Philadelphia does

The Building Industry Association of Philadelphia (BIA) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1937 that serves as the leading advocacy and membership organization for residential real estate development in the City of Philadelphia. It serves three membership tiers: Builder Members ($900/yr) for firms directly involved in development, construction, or renovation; Associate Members ($800/yr) for suppliers and service providers to builders (lumber, windows, appliances, mortgage financing, engineering); and Affiliate Members ($325/yr) for employees of existing members. The BIA also generates revenue from annual corporate sponsorships (17 publicly named sponsors including KOHLER, Philadelphia Gas Works, and Philadelphia Housing Authority) and event registration fees (e.g., $25 building envelope workshops, $45 Meet the Builder events).

The association delivers value through a multi-channel program: policy advocacy at city and state levels (including the June 2025 Development Impact Tax Exemption under Bill No. 250212), the Punch List newsletter and eblasts, educational programming on building codes and compliance, and seven active committees (Affordable/Workforce Housing, YP, Building Innovation, Events, Government Affairs, Membership, Multifamily). It is affiliated with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the Pennsylvania Builders Association, and partners with the Urban Developers Association (UDA) on the BIA-UDA Turn the Key Project and JUMPStart Philly, which mentor minority developers through the Land Bank process and the Philadelphia Accelerator Fund. Distribution is regional (Philadelphia metropolitan area) via a self-serve member portal at business.biaofphiladelphia.com, direct phone/email contact, and event-based registration. The organization operates with 101–250 employees from its headquarters at 1735 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA, with no public revenue disclosure.

Name

Building Industry Association of Philadelphia

Legal name

Building Industry Association of Philadelphia

Website

https://biaofphiladelphia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Building Industry Association of Philadelphia is a non-profit trade association founded in 1937 that advocates for residential real estate development through tiered membership programs, policy advocacy, networking events, and educational programming for builders, developers, and industry suppliers in Philadelphia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

New Housing For-Sale Builders (236117), Residential Remodelers (236118)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Land Development & Subdivision Homebuilding (Build-to-Sell Communities) (IMAFABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential General Contracting (New Build) (IMAFAAAB), Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE)

Keywords

• Trade association services
• Residential development advocacy
• Building industry membership
• Construction industry networking
• Affordable housing mentorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from three categories: Builder Members ($900/year), Associate Members ($800/year), and Affiliate Members ($325/year). Builder Members are directly involved in building homes including development, construction or renovation. Associate Members provide products or services to builders and developers. Affiliate Members are employees of existing builder and associate members.
2. Annual Sponsorships: Annual sponsorship revenue from member businesses that support the BIA's mission. Sponsors receive high-visibility promotion to fellow members, industry colleagues, clients, customers, and prospects. Sponsorship opportunities exist for events throughout the year.
3. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from educational sessions, workshops, networking events, and the annual Fall Scramble golf event. Event fees vary - some events are free for members while others charge nominal fees (e.g., $25 for building envelope workshop, $45 for Meet the Builder).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Building Industry Association of Philadelphia is a nonprofit trade association that provides tiered annual memberships (Builder, Associate, Affiliate), a calendar of networking and educational events, advocacy on public policy and regulation affecting residential development, and programs such as JUMPStart Philly mentoring for minority developers. Members are primarily Philadelphia-area builders, developers, contractors, and suppliers in the residential construction industry.

Product overview

The Building Industry Association of Philadelphia is a membership-based trade association serving residential real estate developers, builders, and industry professionals in Philadelphia. Rather than offering a software product, the BIA provides a suite of membership services including tiered membership programs (Builder, Associate, Affiliate), regular networking events and educational programming, the Punch List newsletter, advocacy services, committee participation opportunities, and the JUMPStart Philly minority developer mentoring program. The association acts as a unified voice for the building industry in Philadelphia, advocating for favorable policies and providing professional development resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BIA Builder Membership Annual membership tier for Philadelphia-area firms whose primary business is the development, construction, or renovation of single-family, multi-family, or light commercial residential property, including small-volume builders, production builders, general contractors, and remodelers, priced at $900/year with access to advocacy, networking, and education.
• BIA Associate Membership Annual membership tier for Philadelphia-area companies supplying products and services to builders and developers (e.g., lumber, windows, appliances, mortgage financing, professional services), priced at $800/year with visibility and advocacy access.
• BIA Affiliate Membership Annual membership tier for individual employees of existing Builder and Associate members to access BIA benefits, priced at $325/year.
• Annual Corporate Sponsorship Program Annual sponsorship packages that give member businesses high-visibility promotion to fellow members, industry colleagues, clients, and prospects in exchange for supporting the BIA's mission through event and program sponsorships.
• BIA Events and Networking Program Calendar of member breakfasts, happy hours, educational sessions, project tours, Meet the Builder events, and the annual Fall Scramble golf outing connecting Philadelphia builders, developers, subcontractors, and suppliers.
• JUMPStart Philly Mentoring Program Mentorship initiative including the BIA-UDA Turn the Key Project that guides minority developers through the Land Bank application process and secures access to capital via the Philadelphia Accelerator Fund, with a target of 90 affordable homeownership units.

Quantifiable outcome

• The BIA-UDA Turn the Key Project aims to deliver 90 affordable units for homeownership through mentorship of minority developers.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)coreOthersBIA is a member of NAHB, which provides member benefits, savings programs, and represents the building industry at the national level. BIA displays the NAHB member benefits savings logo on its website.
• Pennsylvania Builders AssociationcoreOthersBIA is affiliated with the Pennsylvania Builders Association (PBA), the state-level building industry association. PBA commissioned a statewide study on regulatory costs affecting residential development.
• Urban Developers Association (UDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe BIA partners with UDA on the Turn the Key Project, a mentoring program for minority developers. The program selects Black-owned development companies and guides them through the Land Bank application process and secures access to capital through the Philadelphia Accelerator Fund.
• NAHB Member Benefits Savings ProgramminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership providing discounts and savings programs for BIA members through national buying power.
• National Purchasing PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDiscount purchasing program for BIA members offering access to preferred pricing on business services and products.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Association of Home Builders: The national-level trade association for the home building industry. BIA is itself a local member of NAHB, making it the direct structural equivalent at the federal scale with overlapping advocacy, education, and member-benefit missions.
• Home Builders Association of Bucks & Montgomery Counties: An adjacent suburban Philadelphia-area builders association offering overlapping local advocacy, networking, and education to builders and associates in the same metropolitan market as BIA.
• Pennsylvania Builders Association: The state-level builders association that BIA is affiliated with. PBA operates the same tiered membership, advocacy, and event model at the Pennsylvania state level, making it the closest peer in mission and structure.
• Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations: A Philadelphia-based membership organization supporting equitable development and affordable housing — closely aligned with BIA's JUMPStart and Affordable/Workforce Housing committee work.
• Urban Developers Association (UDA): A Philadelphia-based organization explicitly partnering with BIA on the Turn the Key Project for minority developer mentorship, making it a close operational peer in city-level developer advocacy and education.

Others

• Building Owners and Managers Association International (BOMA): An international trade association for commercial building owners and operators. Comparable as a real estate industry membership body, but focused on operations rather than new construction.
• Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce: A broad Philadelphia business association offering policy advocacy and networking across industries. Overlaps with BIA on city-level government affairs and member events, but at a much wider sectoral scope.
• American Institute of Architects (AIA) Philadelphia: A Philadelphia chapter of AIA representing architects. AIA serves as the design-side counterpart to BIA's builder-side focus within the same construction ecosystem.
• Urban Land Institute Philadelphia: A regional chapter of ULI covering land use, real estate, and development in Philadelphia. Adjacent in scope (real estate development education and networking) but oriented toward research and policy rather than residential construction advocacy.

Broad incumbents

• NAIOP: The national commercial real estate development association. Comparable to BIA as a membership and advocacy body for real estate developers, but focused on commercial rather than residential product.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BiaOfPhiladelphia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/building-industry-association-of-philadelphia
• Instagraminstagram.com/biaofphiladelphia/?hl=en
• Xx.com/biaphilly

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 Building Industry Association of Philadelphia