Founded in 2001, Commonwealth Sustainability Works is a professional consulting firm dedicated to helping individuals and families live richer, more productive lives and to helping organizations succeed without depleting the natural systems upon which our communities and livelihoods depend.
We organize our practice into four service areas:
- Green Building – consulting, design, certification, energy efficiency assessments (home energy audits)
- Sustainable Communities – policy development, neighborhood planning, land use design, community meetings, design guidelines
- Strategic Planning – corporate policy, corporate culture, staff trainings, green initiatives
- Education and Training – classes, workshops, and seminars for businesses, community groups, and educational institutions
Over the years, our projects have included green design and consultation for private homes, businesses, schools, and non-profits; marketing of sustainable products; promotion of sustainable economic development; regional planning initiatives, presentations and classes on green building and sustainable development; green jobs training program development, and advocacy for green policy in state and local government. See a list of clients and projects here.
Our process begins with a clear articulation of a client’s values – and then seeks out choices that are more in accordance with those values. Sometimes this is a matter of incorporating previously missing information, sometimes a matter of rallying the discipline to maintain good habits. In either case, our role is a facilitator – helping the clients learn about issues important to their lives or businesses and then finding ways to incorporate that information into positive actions.
We also rely upon the notion that each of us has a responsibility to adjust our consumption to a level that might conceivably be sustained by the resources of our planet. This is not a philosophy of denial. It is the creative work of seeking the best in human experience – made better because we are working towards good things that we believe in rather than repressing what our conscience tells us.
Staff: Principal, Andrew Grigsby
Memberships:
- Virginia Sustainable Building Network
- Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET)
- Culpeper County Chamber of Commerce
- ENERGY STAR – As a certified home energy rater, CSW is authorized to qualify homes for the Federal ENERGY STAR label – which designates superior
energy performance in homes and buildings. ENERGY STAR qualified products andpractices help save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by meeting guidelines set by the U.S. EPA and U.S. DOE.
- LEAP (Local Energy Alliance Program) certified contractor
Partner Organizations: We work closely with colleagues in supporting disciplines.
- Civic Economics – Economic Development Planning
- Practica Consulting – Green Building Program Development and Marketing
- Wiltshire & Company – Fundraising and Strategic Management
- Sustainable Home Energy Solutions - Renewable Energy System Design, Installation, and Research
- Virginia Weatherization Training Center – Building Science Education and Certification
Location: CSW’s office is located in Rappahannock County, Virginia, a rural county in the Virginia Piedmont known for its scenic beauty, agriculture, hospitality, and lively arts.
