phME-passivhausMAINE

What phME-passivhausMAINE does

passivhausMAINE (phME) is a Maine-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN# 45-4864828), founded in 2011 and headquartered at 35 Main Street, Freeport. The organization educates, trains, and advocates for high-performance Passive House building practices across Maine, serving builders and contractors, designers and architects, homeowners, municipalities, students, and member organizations. Core programmatic offerings include a statewide training curriculum on passive house principles and Maine building codes (MUBEC, Stretch Code), a six-month certified pre-apprenticeship program, an annual Forum conference (Forum 13), and the retrofitMAINE research initiative focused on scaling retrofits of existing buildings.

Revenue mechanics span a nine-tier membership program ($25 Student to $5,000 retrofitMAINE Patron), Silver and Gold corporate sponsorships ($1,750 and $2,750), a job board (free for members, $40 for non-members), branded merchandise through the phME Shop, donations, and likely grant support (Harold Alfond Foundation is named as a funding partner). Distribution runs through the Freeport headquarters (which accommodates 60-100 person events), statewide training sessions, a mobile classroom under development for autumn 2025, and online channels via NeonCRM, an email newsletter, and free training-video content.

The technology stack is conventional — Squarespace website, NeonCRM membership platform, no public API, no proprietary AI or ML systems, and no disclosed patent portfolio. The organization's primary "technology" assets are its training curricula, the Passive House Project Survey Map (tracking 46 projects and 1.7 million+ square feet of passive house construction since 2019), and its regulatory influence via advocacy (LD 1101 home energy scoring, LD 1656 energy-efficient affordable housing). The organization was recognized as a UN Centre of Excellence in High Performing Buildings for retrofitMAINE.

Name

phME-passivhausMAINE

Legal name

passivhausMAINE

Website

https://passivhausmaine.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

passivhausMAINE (phME) is a Maine-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that educates, trains, and advocates for high-performance Passive House building practices, serving builders, designers, municipalities, and homeowners through statewide training, a pre-apprenticeship program, and the retrofitMAINE research initiative.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Building Science Education and Passive House Training Services

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Education, Programming & Community Development (EDALACAC)

Keywords

• Passive house training
• Building science education
• High-performance construction
• Energy efficient buildings
• Workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Freeport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: passivhausMAINE generates revenue through tiered membership programs ranging from Student ($25/year) to retrofitMAINE Patron ($5,000/year). Includes professional, nonprofit, academic, and industry leader tiers, with sponsorship levels at Silver ($1,750) and Gold ($2,750).
2. E-commerce Product Sales: The phME Shop sells branded merchandise including apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts), accessories (mugs, totes, caps, phone cases), and kids' items. Pricing ranges from $20-$50 for most items.
3. Job Board Fees: Free job postings for members; non-members pay $40 contribution to post listings on the phME job board.
4. Donations and Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN# 45-4864828), passivhausMAINE accepts donations to support training programs, policy advocacy, and organizational operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

passivhausMAINE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers passive house education, training, workforce development, and policy advocacy for Maine's built environment. Its core offerings include a statewide passive house training program, a six-month certified pre-apprenticeship program, tiered memberships, a member directory, a jobs board, an interactive project map, the retrofitMAINE research initiative, and branded merchandise sales.

Product overview

phME (passivhausMAINE) is a Maine-based 501c-3 non-profit organization focused on decreasing carbon in the built environment through high-performance building science. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs including: statewide training programs covering passive house principles and Maine building codes; a six-month pre-apprenticeship certification program with job shadowing; membership tiers ranging from student ($25) to retrofitMAINE Patron ($5,000); a professional member directory; a jobs board for the passive house industry; an events calendar and community space rental at their Freeport headquarters; an interactive passive house map of Maine; a merchandise shop; and the retrofitMAINE initiative focused on scaling existing building retrofits. The organization also operates a building coalition for legislative advocacy and is developing a mobile classroom (planned autumn 2025) to expand training reach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• retrofitMAINE: An initiative focused on home energy scoring, retrofit frameworks, and upgrading Maine's building stock for climate adaptation and energy resilience.
• Building Coalition

Products and services

• Statewide Passive House Training Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 80%+ reduction in heating and cooling energy usage compared to conventional building code
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and secondary.

• Harold Alfond FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding partner supporting the statewide training program and workshops across Maine.
• Maine Governor's Energy OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting training program expansion and energy code education in Maine.
• Maine Clean Energy PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level partnership supporting clean energy and building efficiency initiatives.
• Maine's Community College SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner for workforce development and building science training programs.
• Educate MainecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in pre-apprenticeship program for building science and passive house training.
• Southern Maine Community CollegesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction Technologies Program provides student pipeline and educational collaboration.
• Passive House Network (NAPHN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding board membership and support for Passive House Network trainings.
• Passive House Institute US (PHIUS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHosts and supports PHIUS trainings for certification programs.
• Passive House Institute (PHI)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHosts and supports PHI trainings and certifications.
• Maine's Apprenticeship ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState apprenticeship program providing certification pathway for pre-apprenticeship graduates.
• Juniper Design + BuildsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner firm for pre-apprenticeship job shadowing and industry connections.
• Maine Passive HousesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner firm for pre-apprenticeship job shadowing and industry connections.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Passive House Network (NAPHN): National non-profit advancing passive house in North America with training and certifications. Comparable because passivhausMAINE is a founding board member that hosts NAPHN trainings and operates a near-identical mission, simply scoped to a single state.
• Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA): Regional non-profit serving the Northeast US with sustainable building and clean energy education, events, and advocacy. Closely comparable in membership model, regional scope, and audience overlap (builders, designers, policy advocates).
• NY Passive House: New York-based regional chapter promoting passive house standards through education, advocacy, and project tracking. Direct parallel to phME as a state/regional passive house advocacy and training organization.

Broad incumbents

• Passive House Institute US (PHIUS): National passive house certification and training body. Comparable because phiME hosts and supports PHIUS trainings and references PHIUS standards, making it a partial peer and channel partner in the same education/certification niche.
• BuildingGreen: Publisher and advisory for green building practitioners, providing resources, articles, and LEED-user tools. Comparable as an adjacent education/information provider to sustainable building professionals.
• New Buildings Institute (NBI): Non-profit focused on high-performance building codes, policy, and zero-energy building adoption. Comparable to phME's policy advocacy and code-influence work, but operating at a national/incumbent scale.

Regional players

• Urban Green Council: NYC-based nonprofit focused on sustainable buildings, codes, and green professional education. Partial peer — similar advocacy + education model in a denser urban geography.
• Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC): State-level clean energy economic development authority funding building decarbonization and workforce programs. Comparable as a state-adjacent funder/policy influencer in Northeast building decarbonization.
• Efficiency Maine Trust: Maine's independent energy efficiency administrator that funds programs like the home energy scoring system under LD 1101. Comparable as a fellow Maine-based energy-efficiency organization with overlapping programs and audiences.

Emerging players

• GreenBuildingAdvisor: Online resource/community for high-performance residential building design and construction. Comparable in serving the same high-performance builder/designer audience, though via content rather than training credentials.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/passivhausmaine

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 phME-passivhausMAINE