Vert Energy Group: Streamlining the Path to Energy Compliance

Energy benchmarking laws are gaining momentum at a more granular level across the U.S. and are becoming pivotal in the global effort to curb climate change and reduce carbon emissions. City councils nationwide are driving these efforts, with New York City’s Climate Mobilization Act standing out as a leading example. This act, particularly Local Law 97, sets strict greenhouse gas emission limits. It requires buildings that emit over 4.53 kg of CO 2 e per square foot to undergo upgrades to reduce emissions by 40 percent. The ultimate goal is a global net zero by 2050.

For many building owners and property managers, navigating these regulations can feel like venturing into uncharted waters.

VertPro from Vert Energy Group steps in as a beacon in the chaos.

The company’s mission is to address today’s climate issues by contributing meaningful cutting-edge technology and compliance solutions. This commitment is rooted in Vert Energy Group’s evolution from a traditional engineering firm to a SaaS business. Over the years, this transformation has demonstrated Vert Energy Group’s deep industry expertise and technological agility, enabling it to pivot and innovate within the energy compliance space.

VertPro, the company’s flagship SaaS energy benchmarking platform, reflects this innovation. It cuts through the complexity of energy compliance and building upgrades and makes the daunting process manageable and efficient, simplifying a building owner’s steps toward regulatory compliance.

“It’s like having a compliance expert at your fingertips, helping you navigate the complex maze of energy laws nationwide with just a few clicks,” says Anthony Olivas, CEO of Vert Energy Group.

VertPro’s magic lies in its automation, eliminating the manual steps that typically slow down the compliance process. The platform pulls energy usage and emissions data from the building. It then cross-checks the information with local laws, such as New York or California energy ordinances—and consolidates everything into one easy-to-use dashboard. Enter the building’s area zip codes, and the platform delivers clear and actionable compliance plans detailing which specific laws apply critical deadlines, as well as additional requirements such as mandatory energy audits or retrofits.

Beyond ensuring compliance, VertPro provides clients with a performance metric scored from 1 to 100. This rating indicates how efficient a building is and how it compares to others in the same climate zone. Suppose a client manages a portfolio of 10 buildings. VertPro scores one building a 90 while another a 10 or 15. It compares the efficiency measures taken in those buildings, making it easy to determine where improvements are necessary.

With VertPro, staying compliant isn’t a chore—it’s a seamless, stress-free experience that keeps property managers ahead of the curve.

Turning Audits into Actionable Insights for Better Energy Efficiency

VertPro’s tailored energy audits maximize energy efficiency and slash operational costs. Whether a basic Level 1 audit or a Level 2 that requires a deeper dive, it assigns a qualified engineer for a site inspection, where all building systems and equipment are thoroughly evaluated.

The inspection results are compiled into a comprehensive report, prioritizing the top 10 to 20 most practical energy-saving actions from over 100 potential strategies.

Each recommendation includes detailed estimates, including costs, potential savings, ROI, net present value and internal rate of return. This level of clarity empowers clients to make data-driven decisions, focusing on the upgrades that will impact their property’s bottom line.

“It’s about promoting both compliance, the stick, and efficiency, the carrot, enabling building owners to make improvements not only because they’re required but for added benefits like increased tenant satisfaction, higher retention rates and enhanced property value, all of which ultimately boost net operating income,” states Olivas.

For instance, VertPro’s energy audits provided critical value to a San Francisco client that had invested around half a million dollars in an energy management system to control their lighting, HVAC and other systems. Six months later, when their energy bills remained high, it raised concerns about the system’s effectiveness. VertPro helped them conduct a thorough assessment to uncover the issue. The system wasn’t adequately programmed, leading to unnecessary operational costs despite the client’s significant investment. It also offered actionable insights to resolve it, ensuring every piece of installed technology functions as intended, driving long-term cost savings and efficiency for the client.

The Marketplace for Seamless Building Upgrades

Building upgrades and repairs are effortless with VertPro. The platform connects clients to a curated marketplace of qualified contractors who bid on projects, providing a tailored selection of options that best meet their needs. This marketplace ensures seamless collaboration without the hassle of manually searching for services on platforms like Angi.

Through an advanced bid comparison tool, clients can also easily compare the contractor’s experience, the number of similar projects completed, and a risk assessment score relevant to the project and pricing. A comprehensive evaluation lets clients make well-informed decisions, ensuring they choose a cost-effective option and a contractor with proven reliability and expertise.

In addition to contractor selection, VertPro adds value by simplifying the payment process. Acting as an intermediary, it assures payments are made according to agreed-upon milestones, protecting both the client and the contractor. Final payments are only released when the project has been reviewed and signed off, providing an extra layer of security. VertPro also helps clients secure rebates and tax credits directly or through contractors, maximizing the project’s financial benefits.

One Win, Endless Impact

A client overseeing more than 600 warehouse properties across the U.S. found themselves overwhelmed by compliance issues until they discovered the power of VertPro.

When Los Angeles introduced its Existing Buildings Energy and Water Efficiency Ordinance, the client was blindsided— learning the new requirements only after receiving violation notices.

After adopting VertPro, their approach to energy benchmarking shifted from reactive to proactive. By integrating all 600 properties into the platform, the client could quickly identify which buildings were subject to specific regulations. VertPro provided detailed insights on which properties required benchmarks, audits and compliance with greenhouse gas emission laws, including the staggered deadlines for each.

Enhanced visibility dramatically reduced the penalties and enabled the client to complete necessary upgrades without scrambling to find local vendors in every region.

The client was so impressed by VertPro’s comprehensive solution that they chose to rely on the platform to manage their entire portfolio rather than building an in-house compliance department to meet energy compliance requirements across all their properties.

Embracing the Impossible

At Vert Energy Group, the mindset of ‘nothing is impossible’ drives the company to constantly push boundaries and stay ahead of industry trends. Mistakes and failures are embraced as proof of daring to try something new, embodied in the company’s motto, ‘own your mistakes.’ By acknowledging setbacks as part of the learning process, Vert Energy Group fosters an environment where progress and creativity flourish. The ‘innovate or die’ philosophy further solidifies this resilience, driving the company’s success.

Events like ‘Innov-AI-tion Week’ are designed to familiarize employees with AI and its applications, underscoring Vert Energy Group’s innovative culture and commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to enhance operations and services.

This bold mindset is reflected in its expanding product portfolio, including the soon-to-launch VertBuild division.

“We are not building platforms to hit revenue targets,” says Olivas.

The ambitious goal is to go beyond energy compliance, such as tackling water scarcity, nuclear fusion, hydrogen energy and desalination. This positions Vert Energy Group as a leader in addressing larger environmental challenges, showcasing a commitment to long-term, impactful solutions beyond just building efficiency.

Designed around a flexible hub-and-spoke model with VertBuild.AI at its core, the platform provides tailored, market-specific solutions (spokes) for different regions and regulatory landscapes. Each spoke functions independently but remains connected to the central platform, allowing seamless data sharing and insights across the system.

Its first spoke, LL97.ai, addresses the regulatory needs of New York City’s Local Law 97. The AI-driven core enables rapid deployment of new verticals, such as energy audits and building upgrades, tailored to specific regions. Success in New York will pave the way for similar solutions in other cities, like Boston or Chicago, where comparable regulations are in place.

What makes VertBuild powerful is its inherently scalable and adaptable approach. As new regulations emerge or market demands shift—whether targeting carbon emissions, water conservation or energy efficiency—new spokes can be quickly developed and integrated with minimal lead time. This model’s flexibility is critical for Vert Energy Group’s strategy to efficiently address various environmental issues and energy laws.

VertBuild’s open platform model offers API access and licensing to other organizations, such as utility companies, government entities and large corporations like Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis (CBRE). This strategic partnership potential broadens Vert Energy Group’s reach and impact, positioning it as a pivotal player in the energy and sustainability industry.

Scripting Success for a Greener Tomorrow

Shortlisted in the Inc. 5000 list for the fourth consecutive year highlights Vert Energy’s rapid growth and reflects its significant impact in the industry.

Looking ahead, Vert Energy Group remains driven by innovation, with a clear focus on expanding its VertBuild ecosystem. This includes scaling market-specific solutions like LL97.ai to target regions with similar compliance laws, such as Washington State, demonstrating the company’s foresight and readiness to scale its solutions nationwide and beyond.

A key part of this expansion is the development of the IntelliAudit Tool, which leverages smartphone technology to simplify and streamline energy audits. This tool can revolutionize the way energy audits are conducted, making the process more accessible and efficient for building owners and managers.

As the ecosystem grows with AI-driven sustainability tools, the proactive Vert Energy Group team shows that it is here to lead the charge of a building management future where compliance is effortless, innovation is constant and sustainability is second nature.