Energy efficiency and renewable energy company Ameresco and the New Bedford Housing Authority (NBHA), a housing authority on the South Coast of Massachusetts, executed a $12.7 million energy performance contract (EPC) that will focus on rooftop-mounted solar installations.
The project involves 15 of NBHA’s public housing developments encompassing close to 1,500 households. Upon completion of construction over the next 15 months, the solar installations at 11 of the 15 developments will result in 2.4 MW of power generation, significantly reducing NBHA’s electric consumption.
“Ameresco is pleased to be building on our staff’s 20-year relationship with the New Bedford Housing Authority,” said David J. Anderson, executive VP and director at Ameresco. “One of the very first energy performance contracts in Massachusetts was a major central plant decentralization with NBHA that our staff led. Now, we are able to upgrade the Authority’s developments with more advanced technologies while also reducing its carbon footprint.”
In addition to the solar installations, other energy savings measures include water conservation, exterior and common-area lighting upgrades and boiler replacements. These upgrades are expected to provide $19.6 million in energy and water cost savings over its 16-year term.
“These solar installations on our developments will make NBHA one of the largest housing authority renewable installations in New England,” said Steven A. Beauregard, executive director of NBHA. “The savings generated from these EPC projects go right back into the developments which is one reason why they are in such great condition.”
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provides incentives for efficiency improvements. Under an EPC financed using savings from NBHA’s utility operating funding, there is no up-front cost required of the Authority.
With more than 30 years of experience, Ameresco’s public housing team has implemented performance contracts with project capital exceeding $700 million in North America. Ameresco has implemented improvements for over 130,000 households (and counting) under performance-based energy and water services contracts.
News item from Ameresco
