Energy Performance Contract Success Stories

Read about PHAs that have had success with Energy Performance Contracts.

Allegheny County Housing Authority
In 1999, the Allegheny County Housing Authority (ACHA) of Pennsylvania entered into an energy performance contract (EPC) to upgrade over 3,000 housing units in 45 buildings over 12 years. Improvements at ACHA included a window/wall system retrofit, new elevator controls and pumps, energy-efficient windows and doors, new boilers, HVAC units and temperature controls, and a high-efficiency, air-cooled chiller.

Boston Housing Authority
Boston Housing Authority (BHA) authority teamed up with the Rebuild Boston partnership to reduce energy use while improving tenant comfort. Through two performance contracts, BHA used future energy savings to pay for measures such as new space- and water-heating systems; low-flow toilets, faucets, and showerheads; and energy-efficient exterior lighting. Annual energy savings are expected to reach $2.7 million.

The Boston Housing Authority Partners with Ameresco
The Boston Housing Authority (BHA) has announced a partnership with Citizens Conservation Services, an Ameresco company, to maximize savings through integrated water and energy conservation improvements and health upgrades. The project will affect about 5,000 apartments in 15 developments throughout Boston and is expected to yield more than $5 million a year in energy savings.

Buffalo Housing Authority Uses Energy Performance Contract to Replace Heating System
The Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority (BMHA) entered into an energy performance contract (EPC) with Siemens Building Technologies, Inc, which is projected to save BMHA up to $7 million beyond project repayment costs over the next 12 years. The housing authority installed new natural gas boilers in its 656-unit Kenfield Homes development and undertaken energy upgrades in its 310-unit Langfield Homes.

A physical-needs assessment recommended that BMHA spend over $18 million in capital funds to fix the Kenfield heating system. With over $750,000 in guaranteed annual utility savings from the EPC, an estimated $2.35 million in New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) incentives, and $500,000 from the Western New York Low-Income Energy Efficiency Program, BMHA’s out-of-pocket costs for the improvements were reduced to $6.4 million.

NYSERDA's Assisted Multifamily Program provides a range of technical and financial incentives to low- and moderate-income multifamily residential properties in New York State for capital projects involving energy-efficiency improvements. For more information about the BMHA project, contact Modesto Candelario at (716) 855-6711, mcandelario@bmha.ci.buffalo.ny.us, or Rich Carroll at (770) 279-4818, rich.carroll@siemens.com.

Cherie Turner Towers, Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority
The newly retrofitted Cherie Turner Towers in Canton, Ohio, is providing a comfortable environment for its senior residents, while at the same time reducing energy bills through its energy-efficiency measures. The retrofit involved a number of energy improvements, ranging from new roofing, energy-efficient windows, compact fluorescent lighting, low-flow toilets, additional insulation, and the geothermal heat pump.

City of Boulder Housing Authority
Through an Energy Performance Contract, the City of Boulder Housing Authority installed energy-efficient lighting at Canyon Pointe, an 82-unit complex for seniors. The project, which cost $11,927, saves nearly $4,000 each year in energy costs.

City of Danbury Public Housing Authority
It its Wooster Manner property—an all-electric building—the City of Danbury (Connecticut) Public Housing Authority in 1998 converted units on four floors to hydronic baseboard heating,removed the electric water heaters,and installed a 60-kW packaged combined heat and power (CHP) system to provide electricity and hot water to the building. With these changes,the building’s energy use was reduced by some 50 percent, or about $40,000 annually. The project was funded through a Yankee Energy Financial Services, a financing affiliate of Yankee Gas, with a 10-year $275,000 loan.

Keene (New Hampshire) Housing Authority
The housing authorities of Keene and Somersworth N.H., are among the first rural housing authorities to participate in an energy efficiency performance contract. The aggregation/collaboration allows the two rural entities to take advantage of incentives that have until now only been available for large metropolitan housing authorities. By pooling the number of projects and partnering with Vestar to develop energy solution programs, the Keene and Somersworth authorities will save more than $110,000 annually.

Knoxville Community Development Corporation
Knoxville's Community Development Corporation (KCDC) has won a waiver approval to engage in a 20-year energy savings contract. KCDC is expected to save more than $950,000 in the first year alone and $27 million over the life of the project. KCDC will borrow $9 million to pay for electricity, gas and water efficiency measures in its 3,576 apartments and four administration and maintenance buildings. The annual savings will retire debt service payments over 20 years.

Louisiana Housing Authority Celebrates Successful Energy Upgrades with Cajun Style
On March 5, 2005, the Housing Authority of the City of New Iberia, LA, and the Water & Energy Savings Corporation (W&ESCO) marked the completion of extensive water and energy conservation improvements with a Cajun “Crawfish Boil.” Residents of the New Iberia Housing Authority feasted on crawfish, corn, and potatoes and some lively Zydeco music.

Minneapolis Housing Authority Energy-Efficiency Program
The Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) used an Energy Performance Contract to rehabilitate the water, sewer, heating, and cooling systems of 40 high-rise developments. During the first 18 months of the program, MPHA saved more than $1 million and anticipates saving approximately $3 million over the 10-year program period.

Oakland Housing Authority
Oakland Housing Authority implemented a number of conservation measures and practices throughout its buildings in order to both reduce costs and improve resident comfort. With technical assistance from Rebuild America, Oakland Housing Authority developed a prototype for renovating small public housing sites. The result was a model that improves resident comfort while improving energy efficiency.

Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority
Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority (SMHA) has made $6.4 million in energy-efficiency improvements to approximately 821,000 square feet of public housing, resulting in savings of nearly $300,000 annually. Measures include installation of geothermal heat pumps, appliance upgrades, and a complete energy upgrade of a high-rise building. Funding came, in part, from HUD's additional operating subsidy, comprehensive grant funds, and additional operating subsidy energy incentive. In honor of its achievements, SMHA received the 1999 Rebuild America Award for Energy Excellence in Public and Affordable Housing.

Wilmington Housing Authority
Through an Energy Performance Contract, the Wilmington Housing Authority has implemented an energy efficiency project that includes the installation of efficient heat pumps, refrigerators, lighting, toilets, insulation, and thermostats. The project will save an estimated $3.5 million over the length of the 12-year contract. In addition, in recognition of their efforts to conserve energy, residents have been awarded funds to pay for school scholarships, school supplies, emergency hardship funds, and cultural events.