FMs who would like to tackle energy-efficiency projects but don’t have the funds can now take advantage of a performance contracting initiative launched with support from the US Department of Energy’s Rebuild America Program.
The initiative, offered through the Energy Services Coalition—a national nonprofit organization composed of energy professionals from a wide range of organizations—offers institutions the opportunity to fund energy conservation retrofitting through anticipated cost savings. In other words, an institution can enter into an agreement with a private energy service company (ESCO). The ESCO will identify and evaluate energy-saving opportunities and then recommend a package of improvements to be paid for through savings. The ESCO will guarantee that savings meet or exceed annual payments to cover all project costs—usually over a contract term of seven to ten years. If savings don’t materialize, the ESCO pays the difference. To ensure savings, the ESCO offers staff training and long-term maintenance services.
The Energy Services Coalition provides it members with many resources, including:
- Informative and interactive quarterly meetings at various locations across the country provide a forum to address performance-contracting issues and to develop business relationships. These meetings also facilitate state-to-state information exchange on “best practices” in marketing and implementing performance contracting projects.
- Workshops on project development, financing, and energy savings performance contracting provide information on new energy-saving technologies and financing options for building and facility owners.
- Problem-solving services on performance contracting and financing for building and facility owners.
- Free educational and technical materials, including standardized documents, such as sample Requests for Proposals and contracts.
For more information, including a lists of service providers in your area, visit the Energy Services Coalition Web site.
