Montana School District Partners with Ameresco on an Energy Savings Performance Contract
Ameresco,
Inc., (NYSE:AMRC), a leading energy efficiency and renewable energy
company, announced today that it has begun work on an Energy
Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) with Kalispell School District
#5, in Kalispell, Montana. Ameresco will install over $3.29 million of
energy efficiency improvements at 12 school buildings. The energy
efficiency improvements are expected to save the District an estimated
$140,569 annually while also addressing critical infrastructure needs.
“One of Kalispell’s oldest schools has been looking for a way to pay for
upgrades to its heating and cooling system and increase its energy
efficiency, but not impact our taxpayers,” said Superintendent Darlene
Shottle. “Flathead High School was of particular concern with classrooms
either too warm, too cold, or water leaking in through the roof. We had
to look at more innovative ways to try to do some of the building
upgrades that needed to be done. Ameresco was able to make these
improvements with this budget neutral approach.”
Prior to beginning work on the ESPC, Ameresco performed a full
investment grade audit to identify areas where energy savings measures
could be implemented throughout the District’s buildings and facilities
to create a plan for the design and implementation of project
renovations. With construction expected to be completed by the end of
this year, the majority of the work is concentrated around the HVAC
infrastructure. The project scope also includes interior, exterior, and
lighting control upgrades, water efficiency retrofits, building envelope
improvements, boiler replacement, variable air volume conversion,
variable speed pumping, temperature control systems upgrades, custom bus
engine heater control system implementation, domestic hot water heater
replacement, and rooftop and HVAC system replacement.
“An energy savings performance contract such as this one enables a
district to leverage their current budget to implement necessary energy
improvements to enhance their student learning environment and reduce
operational costs,” said Louis P. Maltezos, Executive Vice President,
Ameresco. “The ESPC model is expected to allow the Kalispell District #5
to overcome the challenge of aging systems and limited funding for
upgrades. Funding through grants, rebates and energy savings allows the
District to implement the project without impacting the local taxpayers.”
In addition to the ESPC, this project is also being funded through a
roughly $1 million Montana Quality Schools Grant for energy saving
infrastructure upgrades at Flathead High School. The project is expected
to reduce the District’s annual carbon footprint with 1,212,248 kWh in
electric savings, 56,079 therms in natural gas savings, and 1,526,600
gallons of water saved annually.
This is the second ESPC Ameresco has implemented in Montana, where it
recently partnered with Lewis and Clark County to perform energy
efficiency and infrastructure upgrades. Ameresco has a long history of
partnering with counties, schools, municipalities and commercial
entities to improve energy infrastructure and install renewable energy
technologies. Their pioneering of the ESPC financing model has made the
budget-neutral solution an increasingly popular option for customers
across North America, which enables budget-neutral energy efficiency
upgrades by guaranteeing a minimum level of energy savings over the term
of the contract. Ameresco coordinates the upfront project costs and the
County repays that investment with their energy savings over time.
About Ameresco, Inc.
Founded in 2000, Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC) is a leading independent
provider of comprehensive services, energy efficiency, infrastructure
upgrades, asset sustainability and renewable energy solutions for
facilities throughout North America. Ameresco’s services include
upgrades to a facility’s energy infrastructure and the development,
construction and operation of renewable energy plants. Ameresco has
successfully completed energy saving, environmentally responsible
projects with federal, state and local governments, healthcare and
educational institutions, housing authorities, and commercial and
industrial customers. With its corporate headquarters in Framingham, MA,
Ameresco provides local expertise through its 65 offices in 34 states
and five Canadian provinces. Ameresco has more than 900 employees. For
more information, visit www.ameresco.com.
The announcement of a customer’s entry into or commencement of a
project contract is not necessarily indicative of the timing or amount
of revenue from such contract, of the company’s overall revenue for any
particular period or of trends in the company’s overall total
construction backlog.
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