New Buildings Institute Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WE ADVANCE BEST PRACTICES, CODES, AND POLICIES THROUGH MARKET LEADERSHIP, RESEARCH, GUIDANCE, AND TECHNICAL ADVOCACY TOWARD A BUILT ENVIRONMENT THAT EQUITABLY DELIVERS COMMUNITY BENEFITS AND CLIMATE SOLUTIONS.
- Income
- $10.3 million
- Spending
- $8.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 2.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 68%
- Employees
- 54
- Volunteers
- 13
- Highest pay
- $258,452, chief exec. officer through 8/2024
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 29% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 20% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 61% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $3.0 million spent. CODES AND POLICIES: ENERGY CODES CONTINUE TO BE A CRUCIAL LEVER IN TRANSFORMING MARKETS FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE BUILDINGS. NBI'S WORK IN THIS PROGRAM AREA INCLUDED STRENGTHENING MODEL BUILDING ENERGY CODES AND INCREASING THEIR USE AND USEFULNESS. WE ALSO WORKED ON DEVELOPING THE NECESSARY THOUGHT LEADERSHIP TO OVERCOME CRITICAL ISSUES THAT ARE HINDERING CODE ADVANCEMENT AND CREATE THE TECHNICAL BASIS FOR PROGRESSIVE CODE AND POLICY APPROACHES SUCH AS DECARBONIZED AND STRETCH CODES, AS WELL AS BUILDING PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. NBI WORKED DIRECTLY WITH LEADING LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TO IMPLEMENT THESE ADVANCED CODE AND POLICY STRATEGIES AS WELL AS TO DEVELOP CODE AND POLICY ROADMAPS.CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE ONBI ALSO WORKED TO SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF CODES AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT TO TAKE A MORE HOLISTIC VIEW OF CLIMATE, FOCUSING INCREASINGLY ON CARBON NEUTRALITY, HEALTH, AND RESILIENCE. SEVERAL JURISDICTIONS ARE DEVELOPING ZERO ENERGY AND ZERO CARBON ROADMAPS THAT SET OBJECTIVES FOR EACH CODE CYCLE, MOVING STRINGENCY ALONG A PATH TO ULTIMATELY REACH THESE PERFORMANCE LEVELS. NBI WORKED SUCCESSFULLY AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL ON MODEL CODES AND STANDARDS AND IN SEVERAL STATES AND CITIES, INCLUDING CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, ILLINOIS, AND NEW YORK.
- $1.4 million spent. LEADERSHIP AND MARKET DEVELOPMENT:NBI'S RESEARCH, CONVENINGS, EDUCATION, AND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP ON "GETTING TO ZERO" FOCUSES ON DRIVING SCALE IN BUILDING DECARBONIZATION INCLUDING ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS. DURING THE 2023-2024 FISCAL YEAR, NBI BROADENED ITS MARKET DEVELOPMENT AND ONGOING ENGAGEMENT WITH CRITICAL MARKET AUDIENCES THROUGH COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP WITH PROFESSIONALS IN THE BUILDING INDUSTRY. NBI'S RESEARCH OFFERS PROOF AND PROVIDES EXAMPLES TO SHOW THAT NET ZERO ENERGY PERFORMANCE GOALS ARE ACHIEVABLE. SUCCESSES AND LESSONS LEARNED ARE SHARED WITH DESIGNERS AND OWNERS THROUGH ENERGY EFFICIENCY AFFORDABILITY AND RELIABILITY PROGRAMS.CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE OA SPECIFICATION THAT NBI DEVELOPED IS BEING USED BY A PACE FINANCING FIRM AS A PATHWAY FOR DEVELOPERS TO USE IN THEIR PROJECTS. NBI HOSTED SEVERAL PUBLIC-FACING AWARENESS BUILDINGS EVENTS INCLUDING WEBINARS THAT TOUCHED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS THAT GARNERED OVER A MILLION IMPRESSIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THESE EFFORTS WILL HELP BUILD INDUSTRY CAPABILITY TO DELIVER ON THE UPCOMING POLICIES CALLING FOR AFFORDABILITY, RELIABILITY, AND SECURITY IN BUILDINGS.
- $2.6 million spent. BUILDING INNOVATION:NBI'S BUILDING INNOVATION PROGRAM FOCUSES ON TECHNICAL RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS TO ADVANCE EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AND BEST PRACTICES FOR ACCELERATING BUILDING ENERGY PERFORMANCE, AFFORDABILITY, AND RELIABILITY. THIS WORK ADVANCES PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES SEEKING TO ENHANCE ENERGY EFFICIENCY, AFFORDABILITY, AND RELIABILITY OUTCOMES IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPS TOOLS AND GUIDANCE TO PROVIDE CRITICAL SUPPORT FOR BUILDING OWNERS, PRACTITIONERS, UTILITIES, GOVERNMENTS, AND OTHERS. EXAMPLES OF ACTIVITIES INCLUDE BUILDING SCIENCE RESEARCH, EMERGING TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION AND VALIDATION, BEST PRACTICES GUIDANCE, TECHNICAL TOOLS, AND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE OKEY INITIATIVES UNDER THIS PROGRAM AREA INCLUDE THE ADVANCED WATER HEATING INITIATIVE, FOCUSED ON HEAT PUMP WATER HEATER MARKET TRANSFORMATION, AND THE GRIDOPTIMAL BUILDINGS INITIATIVE, FOCUSED ON BUILDING-GRID INTEGRATION. IN THE 2024-2025 FISCAL YEAR, NBI COLLABORATED WITH HUNDREDS OF COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS TO SUPPORT THESE INITIATIVES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 1998.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
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