As we continue our celebration of Earth Week, we are grateful to have the opportunity to support another client dedicated to sustainability by providing tax preparation and business consulting services.
Founded in 2014, Pono Home is a Hawaii-based company that specializes in residential sustainability consulting and services.
The word “Pono” in the Hawaiian Language; while having many different meanings, they all lead to one purpose; doing things the righteous and moral way towards all things including others, the ʻāina (land), and the honua (earth). In Hawaiʻi when they say Mālama Pono, it means to take care of or protect, and at Pono Home they strive to follow those beliefs.
While the company has expanded its reach to other regions, Pono Home’s focus remains on understanding the unique sustainability challenges faced by homeowners in each area and providing tailored solutions. Their mission is to help homeowners reduce their carbon footprint and save money by implementing energy-efficient and sustainable practices.
The company offers a range of services, including energy audits, water conservation assessments, waste reduction consulting, and sustainable home upgrades. They also provide educational resources, such as workshops and online courses, to help homeowners learn more about sustainability and how to reduce their environmental impact.
The company is also committed to making a positive social and environmental impact and donates a portion of its profits to environmental and social causes such as clean water initiatives and renewable energy projects.
As of the end of 2022, Pono Home has performed efficiency retrofits on over 16,000 homes and small businesses, resulting in a reduction of carbon pollution by over 17 million pounds annually, saving over 350 million gallons of water per year, and saving customers more than $6 million a year on their utilities.
Founder Scott Cooney is a serial eco-entrepreneur who has been the solo founder of four mission-driven startups. Before starting Pono Home, he was an adjunct professor of Sustainability in the MBA program at the University of Hawai’i, a green business startup coach, and the author of Build a Green Small Business: Profitable Ways to Become an Ecopreneur (McGraw-Hill) and Green Living Ideas.
Mike Vise, CEO of Pono Home since 2022, is of Native Hawaiian ancestry and was raised on the island of Oʻahu. After working in construction and the airline industries out of high school, Mike went back to school to study Electronics Technology which jumpstarted his love for renewable energy and he has been in the Green Energy industry ever since. He started in waste-to-energy and before moving on to Photovoltaic Solar installation. Mikeʻs passion for technology, sustainability, helping others, and preserving our precious resources led him to Pono Home in 2017.