Advisory Services

Groundwork Data offers advisory services in three practice areas: energy transition, infrastructure, and urban innovation. We also combine our areas of expertise to deliver comprehensive strategic plans for our clients.

See below for more information about our service offerings or reach out to contact@groundworkdata.org to set up a time to connect. To view examples of previous projects our team has worked on, visit our Research page.

Energy Transition

Our energy transition practice is led by Michael J. Walsh, PhD.

We use integrated systems thinking and leading-edge research to help our clients solve the energy transition’s most challenging problems.

Cities, states, and businesses have become adept at reducing their emissions. We’re here to eliminate them. While there are many potential paths to a net-zero future, we help our clients understand what is technically feasible, widely affordable, and most impactful to the communities they serve. Our energy transition solutions can be tailored down to the individual building level and scaled up to plan the energy grid of the future.

We’re here to help you harness the energy transition.

Michael J. Walsh is a nationally recognized climate and energy planning expert known for his work developing decarbonization pathways at both the local and global scale. Click here to view Michael’s full bio.

What we do

Energy Modeling

  • Supply & demand forecasting

  • Integrated systems analysis

  • Climate impact analysis

Energy & Climate Policy

  • State & local policy development

  • Policy review & analysis

  • Expert testimony

Strategic Planning

  • Climate action plans

  • Bioenergy development & utilization

  • Gas-to-X Planning

Infrastructure

Our infrastructure practice is led by Varun Adibhatla.

We use advanced technology and novel data engineering to provide clients with a deeper understanding of their existing assets and service territory.

Local governments and utilities spend over $500 billion annually on the maintenance and construction of infrastructure assets. Despite these expenditures, American infrastructure is in poor condition, from leaking gas pipes to combined sewer overflows.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act offers funding for communities to build and re-build their infrastructure. Through technology-driven capital planning, we’ll help you realize savings, improve customer benefits, and take full advantage of federal funds.

We’re here to help you build back better.

Varun Adibhatla is a global expert in infrastructure data and analysis, adjunct professor at NYU’s Center for Urban Science and Progress, and a dedicated member of The Maintainers global research network. Click here to view Varun’s full bio.

What we do

Infrastructure Monitoring

  • Data profiling & data gap analysis

  • Asset lifecycle analysis

  • Asset digitalization

Infrastructure Coordination

  • Multi-asset capital plan development

  • Joint-trenching coordination

  • Strategic electric undergrounding

Digital Dig Once

  • Subsurface utility mapping

  • Call-before-you-dig (811) digitization

  • Data for worker safety improvement

Urban Innovation

Mike Bloomberg

Our Urban Innovation practice is led by Mike Bloomberg.

We use a people-centered approach to evaluate, foster, and implement urban innovation efforts.

From self-driving cars to smart thermostats, emerging technologies are transforming our built environment and our lives. Cities often lack the capacity to evaluate the impact of these new technologies, leading to reckless deployments or pre-mature shutdowns of potentially beneficial tools.

Our urban innovation practice helps clients develop and evaluate the problem-solving capacity of new technologies.

Mike Bloomberg is a Visiting Urban Technology Researcher in the Jacobs Institute at Cornell Tech, a former mayoral transition advisor to Eric Adams, and the former Chief of Staff to Mayor Alex Morse of Holyoke, Massachusetts. Click here to view Mike’s full bio.

What we do

Municipal Leadership

  • Internal agency review

  • Program & RFP development

  • Technology analysis & evaluation

Technology Development

  • Product development

  • Permitting & piloting

  • Competitive bidding

Academic Collaboration

  • Collaborative research design

  • Partnership building

  • Curriculum design