Era Building Solutions
Era Building Solutions is a Bethesda, MD-based full-service building contractor and consultant serving commercial, multifamily, healthcare, and hospitality clients across the DC-MD-VA region through building automation, energy management (exclusive Telkonet EcoSmart distribution), construction, healthy building, and project financing services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersBethesda, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Era Building Solutions does
Era Building Solutions is a Bethesda, Maryland-based full-service building contractor and consultant serving commercial, multifamily, healthcare, and hospitality property owners and managers across the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area (DC, MD, VA). The firm delivers integrated solutions spanning actionable building consulting, construction and renovation, building automation, energy and sustainability, facility engineering, healthy building services, performance benchmarking, and project financing facilitation (including PACE, grants, and utility incentives). The company was founded by building professionals responding to perceived commoditization and "gotcha"-based change-order practices in the contracting industry, and operates on a no-change-order, transparent-project-management philosophy under Managing Director Mike C. Cain, a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and Existing Building Commissioning Professional (EBCP) inducted as a Legend in Energy by the Association of Energy Engineers in 2017.
Era's core technology platform is the Telkonet EcoSmart Energy Management System, an IoT-based wireless platform using ZigBee protocols to integrate HVAC, lighting, plug loads, occupancy sensing, and indoor air quality monitoring across hospitality, multifamily, and commercial properties. Era is the only non-manufacturer in the DC-MD-VA region offering the complete EcoSmart product line, which Telkonet reports controls over 300,000 rooms across North America; Era packages this with the proprietary Era Utility Dashboard, which automates utility billing retrieval and uploads to Energy Star Portfolio Manager. The firm generates revenue through professional services engagements, turnkey design-build implementations, EcoSmart product resale and deployment, white-label solutions for other contractors, and financing facilitation. Go-to-market relies on direct enterprise field sales, regional industry events (Bisnow conferences, Montgomery County Energy Summit, AEE WEEC, NFMT Baltimore), partnerships with DC Green Bank, Montgomery County Green Bank, Maryland C-PACE, DCSEU, and local chambers of commerce, and a contractor referral network. Primary customer segments are commercial real estate owners and managers subject to DC BEPS and Montgomery County benchmarking compliance and building/mechanical contractors seeking white-label differentiation; secondary segments include healthcare facilities, hospitality properties, and small businesses in PEPCO service territory.
Era Building Solutions firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Era Building Solutions
- Legal name
- era building solutions, LLC
- Website
- https://erabuildingsolutions.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Era Building Solutions is a Bethesda, MD-based full-service building contractor and consultant serving commercial, multifamily, healthcare, and hospitality clients across the DC-MD-VA region through building automation, energy management (exclusive Telkonet EcoSmart distribution), construction, healthy building, and project financing services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Era Building Solutions industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Building Automation & Energy Management Services
- NAICS
- Services to Buildings and Dwellings (5617), Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (236220)
- SIC
- Auto Controls For Regulating Residential & Comml Environments (3822), Electrical Work (1731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Commissioning, Retro-Commissioning & Controls Tuning (BPABAGAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Building Automation & Controls (BAS/BMS, HVAC Controls) (IMAIABAD), Energy Efficiency & Weatherization Retrofit (HSAPAEAF)
Keywords
Where Era Building Solutions is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bethesda
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Era Building Solutions business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Building Solutions & Consulting Services: Era generates revenue as a full-service contractor and consultant delivering solutions across building consulting, construction & renovation, building automation, energy & sustainability, facility engineering, and healthy building services. Revenue is earned through project-based professional services, turnkey design-build implementations, and ongoing consulting engagements with property owners and managers.
- Contractor Solutions & Product Distribution: Era provides services and solutions for other contractors, including white-label and third-party solutions, energy management systems (EcoSmart EMS), and financing facilitation (PACE, incentives, grants). Revenue is earned through product resale, service referrals, and project financing facilitation.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Era Building Solutions product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Era Building Solutions is a full-service building solutions contractor and consultant delivering building consulting, construction & renovation, building automation, energy & sustainability, facility engineering, and healthy building services to commercial real estate owners, property managers, and other contractors across the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area (DC, MD, VA). The company holds exclusive regional access to the Telkonet EcoSmart IoT energy management system and complements its services with alternative financing facilitation (PACE, grants, incentives) and proprietary automated benchmarking tooling.
Product overview
Era Building Solutions offers a platform-plus-services approach combining the EcoSmart™ Energy Management System with comprehensive building consulting and contracting services. EcoSmart is an IoT-based wireless energy management platform featuring thermostats (EcoTouch+, EcoAir, EcoInsight+), sensors (EcoSense+, EcoContact+), and cloud analytics (EcoCentral, EcoCommander Pro), designed for hospitality, multifamily, and commercial buildings. This technology platform is complemented by professional services including Building Automation & Controls, Healthy Building Services, Actionable Building Consulting, Energy & Sustainability, Performance Benchmarking, Construction & Renovation, Project Financing, and Contingency Planning & Emergency Rentals. The Era Utility Dashboard provides automated benchmarking data collection as an add-on to the core service offerings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- EcoSmart EMS (Energy Management System) An IoT-connected wireless energy management system using ZigBee devices to automate lighting, HVAC, plug loads, and security in hospitality, multifamily, and commercial buildings. Distributed, engineered, installed, and supported by Era as a certified EcoSmart partner.
- Building Automation & Controls Services that maximize building operation and efficiency through building automation systems, optimizing interaction between multiple building systems and providing key insights for improvement, for commercial building owners and managers.
- Healthy Building Services Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) strategy creation and implementation, including improvements and ongoing monitoring solutions for building health, targeted at building owners, healthcare facilities, and hospitality operators.
- Actionable Building Consulting Holistic building consulting covering infrastructure asset strategy, energy management, system retrocommissioning, and emergency planning for commercial real estate owners, property managers, and contractors.
- Energy & Sustainability Energy strategy services spanning basic benchmarking to advanced procurement and resiliency strategies, aligning building energy strategy with asset strategy and operational needs for commercial property owners.
- Performance Benchmarking & Actionable Auditing Building performance benchmarking using Energy Star Portfolio Manager combined with actionable energy auditing to support compliance and create meaningful operational improvements for commercial buildings.
- Construction & Renovation Major capital investment project management including open communication, professional project management, and vetted personnel to deliver on-time and on-budget construction and renovation for commercial buildings.
- Project Financing Facilitation of alternative financing, grants, and incentives including PACE financing to enable energy and building improvement projects to become cash-flow positive for building owners.
- Contingency Planning & Emergency Rentals Emergency response services including resiliency strategy development, contingency planning for mechanical failures, and emergency rental equipment for commercial properties.
- Facility Engineering Facility engineering services supporting building owners and managers with ongoing operational, maintenance, and technical engineering needs across commercial properties.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $700,000 in energy expenses saved for Carrollsburg Condominium over ~5 years
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Era Building Solutions
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Era Building Solutions technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature2 records
Era Building Solutions partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- DC Green BankcoreEra partners with DC Green Bank to co-present contractor and building owner events (e.g., the DC Green Bank & Montgomery County Green Bank Joint Contractor Event on Feb 1, 2021). DC Green Bank provides financing products that Era incorporates into building improvement project solutions for their clients.
- Montgomery County Green BankcoreEra partners with Montgomery County Green Bank to co-present events and deliver contractor education on Green Bank products. Managing Director Mike C. Cain participated as a speaker alongside Montgomery County Green Bank CEO & CIO Tom Deyo and Stephen Morel at the Feb 2021 Joint Contractor Event.
- Maryland C-PACEcoreEra partners with Maryland C-PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) to provide education, resources, and training on PACE financing for building energy improvements. Era participated in the Mid-Atlantic PACE Alliance 'Winning with PACE' forum and incorporates PACE into client project financing solutions.
- Association of Energy Engineers (AEE)coreManaging Director Mike C. Cain was inducted as a Legend in Energy by AEE at the World Energy Engineering Congress (WEEC). Era participates in AEE events and the WEEC conference, described as the largest annual event of its kind drawing thousands of attendees from over 60 countries.
- Telkonet (EcoSmart EMS)coreEra is the only non-manufacturer in the DC-MD-VA region to offer the complete Telkonet EcoSmart energy management system line, including engineering, installation, and ongoing support services. The EcoSmart platform controls over 300,000 rooms in North America.
- Rockville, Olney, and Montgomery County Chambers of CommerceminorEra co-sponsors and participates in multi-chamber events on energy efficiency and sustainability in Montgomery County, MD, alongside Maryland C-PACE and Montgomery County Green Bank.
- Georgetown BagelryminorEra partnered with Georgetown Bagelry during COVID-19 to repair their HVAC and oven systems, then collaborated on 'Operation Bagel Drop' delivering 1,000 bagels to Holy Cross Hospital on Nurses Day 2020.
- DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU)minorEra works closely with DCSEU to bring funding to clients and ensure best possible returns on capital investments. Era participates in DCSEU events and leverages DCSEU programs in client project solutions.
- PEPCOminorEra leverages PEPCO (Potomac Electric Power Company) utility incentive programs for small business and commercial building clients in the PEPCO service territory, including retrocommissioning incentives of up to $0.25/sq-ft.
- Washington GasminorEra leverages Washington Gas (Washington Gas Light Company) energy efficiency incentive and rebate programs for commercial customers in Maryland, helping clients obtain rebates for equipment installed in 2018 and beyond.
- BGE (Baltimore Gas & Electric)minorEra leverages BGE utility incentive programs for retrocommissioning and building tune-up projects in Maryland, with incentives covering up to 75% of project costs for qualified buildings.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Era Building Solutions competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Johnson Controls: Building automation systems (Metasys), HVAC, and energy services provider. Competes head-to-head with Era in commercial building automation, controls retrofits, and energy performance contracts in the DC-MD-VA market.
- McKinstry: Design-build, energy services, and building solutions firm with strong presence in the Mid-Atlantic. Competes with Era on retrocommissioning, energy performance contracts, and construction-renovation projects for CRE and institutional clients.
- Siemens Smart Infrastructure: Building automation (Desigo), energy services, and performance contracting provider serving commercial, healthcare, and multifamily customers. Competes with Era for retrocommissioning, benchmarking, and managed energy services contracts.
- Carrier Global: HVAC, controls, and building solutions incumbent with Carrier Controls and energy services offerings. Directly comparable to Era in delivering integrated HVAC and automation solutions to commercial and multifamily clients.
- TRC Companies: Engineering, consulting, and construction management firm with an energy services practice focused on benchmarking, retrocommissioning, and energy efficiency programs. Comparable to Era in serving utilities, municipalities, and commercial property owners.
- Trane Technologies: Global HVAC and building automation incumbent serving commercial real estate with controls, energy services, and turnkey retrofits. Competes with Era for large commercial and institutional automation and energy management engagements across the Mid-Atlantic.
- Honeywell Building Technologies: Building automation, energy management, and controls provider competing for commercial CRE, healthcare, and hospitality accounts. Honeywell's BMS platform overlaps directly with Era's EcoSmart-led automation stack.
Direct peers
- Willdan Group: Energy and sustainability consulting and engineering services firm delivering benchmarking, retrocommissioning, and energy audits to municipalities, utilities, and CRE customers. Closely comparable in service mix to Era's consulting and energy management offering.
Others
- Telkonet: Manufacturer of the EcoSmart EMS platform that Era distributes exclusively in the DC-MD-VA region. Upstream technology partner and adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor in services delivery.
Emerging players
- Enverid: Indoor air quality and energy management technology provider for commercial buildings. Comparable to Era's Healthy Building Services and EcoSmart-driven IAQ offerings in commercial and multifamily accounts.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Era Building Solutions social profiles
Digital presenceEra Building Solutions financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Era Building Solutions leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Era Building Solutions funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Era Building Solutions M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Era Building Solutions
What does Era Building Solutions do?
Era Building Solutions is a full-service building solutions contractor and consultant delivering building consulting, construction & renovation, building automation, energy & sustainability, facility engineering, and healthy building services to commercial real estate owners, property managers, and other contractors across the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area (DC, MD, VA). The company holds exclusive regional access to the Telkonet EcoSmart IoT energy management system and complements its services with alternative financing facilitation (PACE, grants, incentives) and proprietary automated benchmarking tooling.
Is Era Building Solutions a public or private company?
Era Building Solutions is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Era Building Solutions founded?
Era Building Solutions was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Era Building Solutions based?
Era Building Solutions is headquartered in Bethesda, United States, in the North America region.
How does Era Building Solutions make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Building Solutions & Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are contractor Solutions & Product Distribution.
Who are Era Building Solutions's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Johnson Controls, McKinstry, Siemens Smart Infrastructure, Carrier Global, TRC Companies, Trane Technologies and Honeywell Building Technologies. Willdan Group is listed as a direct peer. Telkonet is listed as an others. Enverid is listed as an emerging player.
Does Era Building Solutions have an API?
No public API is recorded for Era Building Solutions.
What industry is Era Building Solutions in?
Era Building Solutions's product category is Building Automation & Energy Management Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPABAGAL, Commissioning, Retro-Commissioning & Controls Tuning, with a secondary code of IMAIABAD, Building Automation & Controls (BAS/BMS, HVAC Controls). Its NAICS code is 5617 and its SIC code is 3822.