Revalue.io: A Healthier Housing Future for All

As an Oakland local, Revalue.io founder Mark Hall saw a problem in his own backyard: existing affordable housing stock was aging, resulting in inefficient and costly energy usage. These older homes also harbored health risks like mold and poor ventilation. At the same time, a shortage of local contractors created a bottleneck for energy efficient home upgrades.

Hall founded Revalue.io in 2015 to bridge these gaps. Revalue.io connects residents in underserved communities with resources to help cover the cost of home upgrades, often stepping in to help piece together financing when homeowners are denied by other programs. They also provide training in energy-efficient, healthy home retrofits to women and minority contractors. As a result, residents see lower energy costs (40% lower on average), and local skilled laborers have a sustainable pipeline of work. Since its founding, Revalue.io has awarded more than $1 million in contracts to minority contractors and connected residents with more than $3 million in rebates and grants.

In the United States, Black and Hispanic residents are more than twice as likely to live in substandard housing. Revalue.io aims to address this disparity. “The future of housing looks healthier, more sustainable, and equitable, especially for communities of color,” says Hall. “By deepening our understanding of the health and environmental impacts of housing, we can eliminate energy burdens and negative health impacts and create homes that positively impact the environment and our communities.”

Hall says participating in the Housing Venture Lab helped Revalue.io strengthen its footing and see a clear path to growth: “The Housing Venture Lab provided essential insights and expertise into our ecosystem. While we had ideas and projects, Terner Labs; guidance really helped us understand our value and position within the residential electrification space, allowing us to move forward intentionally.”