Company
An Illinois energy upgrade firm, for buildings and homes.
BigEnergy takes a building's electrical and energy needs from first walk-through to final closeout: we scope the work, engineer the funding, and deliver it through our partner network of licensed electrical contractors. One firm is accountable for the outcome; the incentives are filed as part of the job.
About
Lori Ward
Founder and principal. Twenty-five years in commercial real estate — site selection, brokerage and energy efficiency — before building LAW Ventures, Ltd. — now BigEnergy — around the part of every project that owners find hardest: getting the scope, the crew and the money to line up. ICC-approved contractor since 2015; ICC certified EV charging installer.
BigEnergy is a DBA of LAW Ventures, Ltd., based at 2404 S. Wolcott Ave in Chicago, and the home of the EVLV and Grantya incentive platforms. LAW Ventures, Ltd. is a Cook County certified Women Business Enterprise for construction project management, energy consulting and construction supply; the program authorizations and certifications below are held in its name.
Territory
Illinois, all three utilities.
We are authorized service providers inside the ComEd, Nicor Gas and Ameren Illinois programs, which is where most of the funding on an Illinois project comes from, and a Focus on Energy trade ally in Wisconsin. Public and private facilities anywhere in the state.
Partner network
One team, four disciplines.
Boyd Electric, Inc.
Palos Hills, Illinois. Union electrical contractor with 30+ years of commercial, industrial, education, municipal and data-center work: generators, distribution, lighting, low-voltage. Performs all public and prevailing-wage construction in our projects.
Gullen Energy
Open-shop electrical contractor and renewable-energy specialist: electrical construction plus solar, storage and clean-energy systems for private commercial buildings. Performs private commercial construction and all solar and storage in our projects.
Sarin LED
Lighting manufacturer. We specify and supply Sarin fixtures against the scopes it manages.
Life-safety partner
Partner delivering emergency and exit lighting and fire-extinguisher inspection and service inside our life-safety scopes.
Public and prevailing-wage work runs union. Private work runs the shop that fits the job. We make that call for the owner's benefit.
Certifications register
Each row names who issued it and where to verify it.
| Credential | Issuing body | Identifier | Dates | Verify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women Business Enterprise (WBE) | Cook County, Illinois | Vendor ID 20110324 | Certified 26 Sep 2025 · current | Cook County / City of Chicago certified vendor directory, search "LAW Ventures" |
| ICC Part 462 | Illinois Commerce Commission | Electric vehicle charging | — | ICC public register |
| ICC Part 469 | Illinois Commerce Commission | EV charging station installer | — | ICC public register |
| Energy Efficiency Service Provider | ComEd | — | Current program year | ComEd service provider list |
| EV Service Provider (EVSP) | ComEd | — | Current program year | ComEd EVSP list |
| Trade Ally Direct | Nicor Gas | — | Current program year | Nicor Gas trade ally list |
| SBDI & EV Partners | Ameren Illinois | — | Current program year | Ameren Illinois program partner list |
| Trade Ally | Focus on Energy (Wisconsin) | Business lighting | Listed publicly | focusonenergy.com trade ally search (the public listing still shows an old website and phone; correction in hand) |
Certified business description on the Cook County record: Construction: Project Management; Distributor: Construction Supplies (Electrical & Epoxy); Energy Consulting Services. This is the only diverse-business certification we publish; a certification you cannot verify is worth less to you than no claim at all. NAICS 238210, 423610, 541614, 541618, 541690.