FAQs

About Orenna

What is Orenna?
Orenna is the infrastructure platform for high-integrity water benefit verification. We provide the neutral registry system that restoration companies, corporate buyers, and independent verifiers use to standardize evidence, manage verification workflows, and create audit-ready documentation for water stewardship claims.

Who is Orenna for?
We serve three types of customers: (1) Restoration companies implementing water projects, (2) Corporate buyers funding water stewardship to meet sustainability commitments, and (3) Independent verifiers reviewing water benefit claims.

What problem does Orenna solve?
Companies are making ambitious water commitments but can't prove their impact because documentation is scattered, there's no standard format for evidence, and there's no way to prevent double-counting. Orenna provides the standardized infrastructure that makes water claims credible, comparable, and audit-ready.

Who founded Orenna?
Orenna was co-founded by Ben Snyder (CEO), a restoration engineer with 20+ years designing watershed projects, and Fabienne Snyder (Chief Creative Officer), who brings decades of production design and creative direction experience.

Is Orenna a consulting firm or a restoration company?
Neither. We're a software infrastructure company. We don't implement restoration projects or provide consulting services—we provide the platform that connects restoration companies, verifiers, and corporate buyers through standardized workflows.

For Restoration Companies

Why would a restoration company use Orenna?
Every corporate buyer wants proof in different formats. Verifiers request different documentation. You spend 60% of your time managing duplicative data requests instead of doing restoration work. Orenna lets you package evidence once in a standardized format that works for everyone.

What methodologies does Orenna support?
Our platform is built around Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting (VWBA 2.0) and Water Quality Benefit Accounting (WQBA)—the standardized methodologies released in September 2025 by the World Resources Institute and partners.

Can we use Orenna for projects that don't follow VWBA 2.0?
The platform is designed to be method-neutral and can support multiple schemas. Contact us to discuss your specific methodology requirements.

How long does it take to onboard a project?
Initial project setup typically takes 1-2 weeks, depending on the complexity of your documentation. Once your first project is onboarded, subsequent projects move much faster using the established templates.

Do we need to change how we do restoration work?
No. Orenna doesn't dictate restoration practices—we organize the evidence you're already collecting into standardized formats that verifiers and corporate buyers need.

For Corporate Buyers

How does Orenna help us meet our water positive commitments?
We provide the audit-ready documentation you need to defend your water stewardship claims. You can track your entire portfolio, retire units when claiming credit (preventing double-counting), and generate reports for CDP, GRI, SASB, and investor presentations.

What's the difference between "issuing" and "retiring" water benefit units?
Issuance happens after independent verification—units are created and serialized in the registry. Retirement happens when you claim credit toward your goals—units are permanently attributed to your company so no one else can claim the same benefit.

Can we use Orenna for both water quantity and water quality benefits?
Yes. The platform supports both volumetric water benefits (measured in MG/year) and water quality benefits (measured in pounds of pollutant removed).

How do we prove to auditors that we're not double-counting?
Every water benefit unit is serialized with a unique identifier. When you retire units, that transaction is permanently recorded on the blockchain. Auditors can independently verify that those specific units belong to you and haven't been claimed elsewhere.

Do you provide the actual verification services?
No. We provide the platform that verifiers use to review evidence. Verification is performed by independent third-party experts who are not employed by Orenna or the companies making claims.

Can we track projects across multiple geographies and methodologies?
Yes. The platform is designed to manage portfolios spanning different regions, project types, and methodologies in a single system.

For Verifiers

What does Orenna provide to verifiers?
We provide standardized evidence packages, built-in checklists aligned with VWBA 2.0 and WQBA, collaboration workflows for requesting clarifications, and digital signature tools for final approval—all with permanent audit trails.

How does this help us work more efficiently?
Instead of spending 60% of your time hunting for documents across emails and file systems, you receive complete, pre-organized evidence packages. You can focus on technical review rather than data collection.

What qualifications do verifiers need?
Verifiers must be qualified scientific experts or engineering firms with relevant expertise in watershed science, hydrology, or water quality. We credential verifiers through our onboarding process.

Are verifiers employed by Orenna?
No. Verifiers are independent third parties. We provide the platform infrastructure—verifiers provide the expert review.

Technical & Security

Why do you use blockchain?
Blockchain creates tamper-proof audit trails. Once evidence is logged and verified, no one can alter it without detection. This provides the same level of data integrity for environmental claims that banks require for financial transactions.

Is this cryptocurrency or speculative trading?
No. We use blockchain for infrastructure, not speculation. There are no tradable tokens, no investment returns, no marketplace for buying and selling credits. We use blockchain the way banks use ledgers—for permanent, auditable records.

Where is our data stored?
Sensitive documents stay in encrypted, access-controlled storage (off-chain). Only cryptographic hashes—unique digital fingerprints—are stored on the blockchain (on-chain). This ensures data integrity while protecting proprietary information.

Can other people see our project documentation?
Access is role-based and controlled. Only parties you authorize (verifiers, buyers) can access your full evidence packages. Public information (like retired units) is visible on-chain, but detailed project documentation remains private.

What happens if Orenna the company goes out of business?
Because evidence hashes and retirement records are stored on a public blockchain, your audit trail persists independently of Orenna. The blockchain is permanent infrastructure that doesn't depend on any single company.

Is blockchain environmentally friendly?
We use modern blockchain systems that consume minimal energy—comparable to running a website, not the energy-intensive proof-of-work mining used by early Bitcoin. See our "Why Blockchain" page for more details.

Pricing & Getting Started

How much does Orenna cost?
Pricing varies based on your role and needs. Restoration companies pay annual program licenses based on project volume. Corporate buyers pay subscription fees based on portfolio size. Contact us for a customized quote.

Do you charge per project or per unit?
We use a combination model: annual subscription fees plus small transaction fees when units are issued or retired.

Is there a free trial?
We offer platform demonstrations and pilot programs for qualified organizations. Contact us to discuss your needs.

How do we get started?
Schedule a consultation with our team. We'll discuss your specific needs, demonstrate how the platform works, and develop an onboarding plan. Email info@orenna.io or call (669) 237-0413.

Do we need blockchain expertise to use Orenna?
No. The platform interface is designed for restoration professionals, sustainability managers, and environmental scientists—not blockchain developers. You interact with familiar workflows; the blockchain runs in the background.

Can Orenna integrate with our existing systems?
The platform supports standard data exports and can integrate with common sustainability reporting tools. Contact us to discuss specific integration requirements.

Still have questions? Contact us at info@orenna.io or (669) 237-0413.