What the assessment covers, what it doesn't, who's behind it, and how the process works.
The assessment covers five domains: energy, waste, water, purchasing, and transportation and property. Each domain is scored on a 1–5 scale using benchmarks appropriate to the property type — ISO 14001 principles and EPA guidance for commercial clients; ENERGY STAR, EPA WaterSense, and the federal IRA incentive framework for residential clients.
On-site work takes a half-day (roughly 3–4 hours) and includes interviews, document review, and a walkthrough. The written report, delivered within a week, documents findings with a score for each domain and 5–10 prioritized recommendations, including an incentive map.
More detail on what each domain covers is in this Field Notes post.
No. A certified energy audit — conducted by a BPI- or RESNET-credentialed contractor — involves blower-door testing, duct leakage measurement, and combustion safety diagnostics. Those credentials require specialized equipment and several hundred hours of field training. Our assessment uses a different methodology benchmarked against ISO 14001 and EPA guidance.
The NJ Clean Energy Program's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR rebates require a BPI/RESNET assessment, not ours. If pursuing those rebates is the primary goal, a certified energy auditor is the right first call. Our assessment can help you determine whether the economics justify the audit fee before you pay for it.
The report is a PDF document with a consistent structure: Executive Summary, domain-by-domain findings with scores, prioritized recommendations, and a supporting data section that includes the incentive map. It's written for a general audience — no technical jargon that requires a specialist to interpret. The goal is a document the client can act on directly and share with contractors without needing a translator.
Useful but not required. Recent utility bills (12 months if available), any existing equipment documentation, and a basic description of the site ahead of time help sharpen the visit. If you don't have them organized, that's fine — part of the intake call is establishing what's accessible.
Every engagement includes a follow-up call within 14 days of report delivery — 30 minutes to walk through the findings, answer questions, and make sure the recommendations are clear. Beyond that, there's no obligation. If follow-on services (seasonal check-ins, content support) make sense, that conversation can happen then.
Explicitly: not a structural, electrical, or plumbing inspection. Not a code-compliance review. Not a contractor scope of work. Not a guarantee that any specific incentive or rebate will be approved by the issuing agency.
Recommendations are advisory. Clients are responsible for engaging appropriately licensed contractors and verifying incentive eligibility with the issuing agency before making financial commitments. The engagement letter makes this explicit before any on-site work begins.
Union County, NJ is the primary service area — Elizabeth, Cranford, Westfield, Summit, Linden, Clark, and the rest of the county. Adjacent municipalities in Essex, Morris, and Middlesex counties are available depending on site logistics. If you're unsure whether your location qualifies, the intake call resolves it in 5 minutes.
The honest answer: academic depth, lower price, and the motivation of someone at the beginning of a career rather than the end of one.
The relevant credentials are real: five UN Environment Programme InforMEA certifications covering international environmental governance, multilateral environmental agreements, chemicals and waste, biodiversity, and climate change. Currently completing the Eagle Scout track at BSA (all 16 required merit badges complete), including Sustainability, Environmental Science, Soil & Water Conservation, and Oceanography. Formally enrolled in the School of Sustainable Sciences at Union County Vocational Technical School.
The assessment methodology is benchmarked against ISO 14001, EPA guidance, and the IRA incentive framework — not invented. The recommendation quality is what you're paying for, and that comes from the methodology and the preparation behind it, not from years behind a desk.
The age and early-stage status of the practice are disclosed up front, not minimized. The value proposition is enterprise-grade methodology at a small-operator price. If that's not the right fit, we'd rather know at the intake call than after the report.
Liability insurance is being finalized. No paid engagement begins before it is bound. The engagement letter includes the current insurance status, and clients are informed of any change before the on-site visit. If you'd like to know the status at a specific point in time, ask during the intake call — the answer will be direct.
Commercial full assessments run $150–$300, depending on site size and complexity. Residential full assessments run $125–$250. Both include the on-site walkthrough and written report.
À la carte single-domain assessments start at $90 (commercial) or $75 (residential) for the first domain, with each additional domain at $50 or $40 respectively. Complete pricing and the trigger logic that determines the band are on the Commercial and Residential pages.
Yes. Verified 501(c)(3) organizations and registered parishes receive 20% off any service. The floor is $75 — no engagement goes below that regardless of discount. Eligibility is confirmed during the intake call; a 501(c)(3) determination letter or equivalent documentation is sufficient.
No. The pricing table applies uniformly. The nonprofit and pilot discounts in the table are the only exceptions, and they have defined terms. Off-the-cuff pricing for personal contacts doesn't exist — it creates ambiguity that isn't good for the client relationship or for the integrity of the practice.
The intake call is 15 minutes and there's no obligation. It's the right place to work through anything this page doesn't cover.
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