Construction Owners and contractors working on energy-efficiency upgrades in the Mid-Atlantic may soon see a larger single-source option for utility-incentivized retrofit work. Private equity-backed CET Energy Solutions has acquired Vanguard Building Solutions, a New Jersey energy services contractor with established utility program relationships. The combination pairs an efficiency-focused specialty contractor with a national electrical and energy infrastructure platform.
Vanguard Building Solutions, headquartered in Cherry Hill, was founded in 2013. It delivers turnkey energy-efficiency and infrastructure improvements for commercial, industrial, municipal and nonprofit customers. Its scope includes energy assessments, energy management, HVAC upgrades, LED lighting, building controls, solar and project implementation.
CET Energy Solutions is backed by Broad Sky Partners. It began in 2008 in Massachusetts as Commonwealth Electrical Technologies and now operates that business alongside Horton Electric and NuWave Energy. The platform has more than 300 employees at six locations and delivers projects nationwide. Its services include electrical contracting, energy efficiency programs, generator service, battery storage, renewables and energy infrastructure work.
Vanguard Building Solutions founder Mike Sherman and CET Energy Solutions CEO John J. Duquette both commented on the deal at announcement. Neither the purchase price nor the post-closing leadership structure was disclosed.
Vanguard Building Solutions was named PSE&G’s top Trade Ally for 2023 and was recognized as the 2025 Energy Champion Company of the Year by EEA-NJ. It also holds exclusive closed-network opportunities with Atlantic City Electric and Jersey Central Power & Light, in addition to relationships with utilities in New York.
Those utility ties are central to the transaction. Utility-sponsored efficiency programs typically route incentivized work through approved contractors, and closed networks limit participation to a select group of firms.
CET Energy Solutions said Vanguard Building Solutions will gain access to engineering, electrical construction, solar and energy storage capabilities, along with additional financial resources. The stated aim is to support larger and more complex energy infrastructure projects and to enter new markets. No specific project pipeline or geographic expansion plans were announced.
Building owners and municipal facility managers that use Vanguard Building Solutions for utility-backed upgrades could gain access to a broader range of in-house services on a single contract, including electrical work and battery storage. Both companies said service commitments to customers and utility partners will continue, though no changes to contracts or program participation were detailed.
For specialty contractors in the region, the deal adds a better-capitalized competitor in the New Jersey and New York efficiency market, with demonstrated standing in several utility programs.
Source: Vanguard Building Solutions
