verdantstructural.com

What verdantstructural.com does

Verdant Structural Engineers (VSE) is a privately held, full-service structural engineering firm headquartered in Berkeley, California, specializing in the design, permitting, and construction support of buildings that use low-carbon and bio-based materials. The firm originated in 2003 as Kevin Donahue Structural Engineers and was rebranded to Verdant Structural Engineers, building a practice around alternative materials that includes straw bale, hemp-lime (hempcrete), cob, adobe, rammed earth, light straw clay, bamboo, timber framing, and low-carbon concrete, alongside conventional structural systems. Service offerings are organized into consulting and project review, stamped permit drawings and calculation packages, construction support including special inspections, code development, expert testimony, and product development support for manufacturers of new building systems.

VSE's core technology is its codified expertise in alternative building materials, accumulated over two decades and institutionalized through leadership roles in national code development. The firm has served as lead structural engineer on multiple International Residential Code appendices, including Appendix BL Hemp-Lime (Hempcrete) Construction integrated into the 2024 IRC, Appendix AU Cob Construction, Appendix AS Strawbale Construction, Appendix AR Light Straw-Clay Construction, and the expansion of crushed stone (rubble trench) footings. Principal Anthony Dente chairs the structural subcommittee for the Earthen Modular Masonry Committee in The Masonry Society. The firm's sole proprietary physical product is the Verdant Panel, a structural insulated panel with straw-based insulation achieving R21 with a 2x6 wall, developed under a 2021 EPA Grant and commercialized through a spun-off entity called Verdant Building Products.

VSE's business model is project-based professional services delivered on a fee-for-service basis through direct engagement with clients, primarily architects, contractors, homeowners, owner-builders, and developers, with secondary work for product manufacturers requiring code-compliance support. The firm is currently licensed in 21 US states and acquires additional state licenses on demand to support client projects, with international consulting experience in Nepal, Haiti, and India. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The firm operates with approximately 15 staff including licensed structural engineers (PEs), engineers in training (EITs), structural designers, a Natural Materials Specialist, an Operations Director, and a Marketing Manager, generating revenue through stamped engineering deliverables, consultation, and ongoing construction-phase services rather than software or product sales (with the exception of the Verdant Panel, which sits in a separate corporate entity). The firm is founder-operated by Kevin Donahue, with no disclosed venture capital, private equity, or parent company ownership.

Name

verdantstructural.com

Legal name

Verdant Structural Engineers

Website

https://verdantstructural.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Verdant Structural Engineers is a Berkeley, California-based structural engineering firm specializing in low-carbon and bio-based building materials, delivering stamped permit drawings, consulting, and construction support to architects, contractors, homeowners, and developers across 21 US states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Structural Engineering Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (541330)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Construction Engineering & Constructability Consulting (BPAHAIAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA)

Keywords

• Sustainable structural engineering
• Alternative building materials
• Low-carbon construction
• Structural design services
• Residential structural engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Structural Engineering Services: Professional engineering services including structural assessments, feasibility reviews, stamped drawings and calculation packages for permit submittal, construction support, and expert testimony. Services are provided on a project basis to architects, contractors, homeowners, and developers.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Verdant Structural Engineers is a full-service structural engineering firm specializing in creative problem-solving and bio-based design. From standard construction to pioneering low-carbon materials (straw bale, hempcrete, cob, adobe, rammed earth, light straw clay, bamboo, timber framing), the firm delivers stamped permit drawings, calculation packages, structural assessments, feasibility reviews, construction support, expert testimony, and code development services. The firm also developed the Verdant Panel, a structural insulated panel with straw-based insulation, under an EPA Grant in 2021.

Product overview

VSE is a full-service structural engineering firm specializing in creative problem-solving and bio-based design. The company's primary offering is a portfolio of engineering services rather than a software platform. Their main proprietary product is the Verdant Panel, a structural insulated panel with straw-based insulation (R21 rating) developed with EPA Grant funding in 2021. The service portfolio includes: structural documents for permitting and construction, consulting and project review, construction support, code development, expert testimony, and product development support. The firm works with alternative and low-carbon materials including straw bale, hemp-lime (hempcrete), adobe, rammed earth, bamboo, light straw clay, and timber framing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Structural Documents for Permit and Construction
• Consulting and Project Review
• Construction Support On-site structural observations and special inspections throughout construction, with consultation for unexpected conditions, structural questions, and material substitutions.
• Code Development Development of standards, practices, and procedures for low-carbon and bio-based materials in building codes, including contributions to International Residential Code and International Building Code sections (e.g., Appendix BL Hemp-Lime, Appendix AS Strawbale, Appendix AU Cob, Appendix AR Light Straw-Clay, crushed stone footings).
• Expert Testimony Expert technical and legal knowledge provided when projects require testimony in legal, regulatory, or technical proceedings.
• Product Development Support Structural consultation for companies developing new products and methods, including code compliance support, testing and evaluation services, and connection detailing.
• Verdant Panel A structural insulated panel with innovative straw-based insulation that stores CO2 and achieves R21 insulation value with a 2x6 wall configuration. Developed with EPA Grant funding in 2021; commercialized through a separate spin-off entity (Verdant Building Products).

Quantifiable outcome

• VSE was the lead proponent for expansion of crushed stone (rubble trench) footings in the IRC
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Builders Without BorderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVSE partnered with Builders Without Borders and the Kevin Rohan Memorial Eco Foundation to design the Paral Ko Ghar (Straw House), the first straw bale house in Nepal, working to rebuild communities affected by the 2015 earthquakes.
• California Straw Bale Association (CASBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCASBA funded VSE's code development efforts including crushed stone footings expansion in IRC, Appendix AS Strawbale Construction, and Appendix AR Light Straw-Clay Construction.
• US Hemp Building AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSHBA funded VSE's development of Appendix BL Hemp-Lime (Hempcrete) Construction which was integrated into the 2024 IRC.
• Cob Research InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRI funded VSE's development of Appendix AU Cob Construction (Monolithic Adobe) for the IRC.
• The Masonry SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVSE principal Anthony Dente serves as chair of the structural subcommittee for the Earthen Modular Masonry Committee (EMMC) in TMS, developing contemporary building code for adobe.
• Timber Framers GuildminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVSE is a proud member of the Timber Framers Guild and counts a former timber-frame carpenter among its staff.
• SE 2050 Commitment ProgramminorOthersVSE is a proud member of the SE 2050 Commitment Program, an industry-wide initiative working toward net-zero embodied carbon in structural systems by 2050.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Buro Happold: International engineering consultancy with a strong sustainability and embodied carbon practice spanning structural, MEP, and facade engineering. Comparable to VSE on sustainability-led structural engineering, but with broader service breadth and global footprint.
• WSP: Global professional services consultancy with a large structural engineering and sustainability practice serving buildings, transportation, and environment. Comparable to VSE on engineering services for sustainable building projects, though WSP's portfolio and reach are orders of magnitude larger.
• KPFF Consulting Engineers: US structural and civil engineering firm with growing sustainability practice, particularly on the West Coast. Comparable to VSE as a structural engineering firm serving architects and developers, though KPFF operates at significantly larger scale and across more conventional as well as sustainable projects.
• Arup: Global engineering consultancy with a dedicated sustainable design practice that includes structural engineering for low-carbon and bio-based projects. Comparable to VSE in offering structural engineering expertise for sustainable construction, but at vastly larger scale and broader service portfolio.

Direct peers

• Thornton Tomasetti: Global structural engineering consultancy with practice areas covering sustainable design, embodied carbon, and innovative materials. Comparable to VSE on technical structural expertise for innovative building systems, though Thornton Tomasetti operates at significantly larger scale with broader service offerings.
• Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH): Specialty structural engineering firm focused on buildings, enclosures, and applied science. Comparable to VSE in being a specialist structural engineering consultancy with deep technical expertise, though SGH serves a broader portfolio of building types and does not focus specifically on bio-based materials.
• Walter P Moore: Structural engineering and diagnostics firm with a portfolio spanning conventional, sustainable, and innovative structures. Comparable to VSE in serving architects with structural engineering on complex and unconventional building systems, though Walter P Moore operates across a broader mix of project types and geographies.
• Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA): Structural and civil engineering consultancy known for complex and innovative building structures. Comparable to VSE as a specialty structural engineering firm serving architects on complex and unconventional projects, though MKA's portfolio skews to larger and more conventional commercial work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/verdantstructural
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/verdant-structural-engineers

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 verdantstructural.com