Worcester, MA – Ameresco, Inc., an energy efficiency and renewable energy company, announced a second phase of work totaling $13.5 million with the Worcester Housing Authority (WHA), through its existing energy performance contract.
This second-phase project extends the term of Ameresco’s work on behalf of WHA and builds on energy conservation measures the company implemented in 2008, bringing the total project value to $23.6 million and affecting 15 of the WHA’s federal developments.
As New England’s second largest housing authority, WHA provides safe and affordable housing for more than 3,000 households in the Worcester community. Under the energy performance contract (EPC) this second phase will upgrade interior and exterior lighting fixtures across WHA developments, replace windows at its Elm Park and Lincoln Park high-rise buildings, and make improvements to three cogeneration units at other WHA developments. These improvements come at no upfront cost to WHA, which also receives incentives for efficiency improvements from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
“Our ability to provide quality, upgraded housing to residents depends on federal appropriations that we have been fortunate to supplement with private capital through our partnership with Ameresco,” said Alex Corrales, executive director of the Worcester Housing Authority. “The incentives for energy and water conservation available to us through HUD’s energy performance contract program are invaluable, and with the phase-two building improvements provided by Ameresco, we will continue to reduce our carbon footprint and provide the best quality of life to all of the residents we serve.”
“The first phase of our work on behalf of the Worcester Housing Authority focused largely on water conservation, common area lighting upgrades and heating-system upgrades, which delivered the cost savings necessary to add more long-term payback measures such as energy-efficient windows,” said Ameresco executive vice president and director, David J. Anderson. “Having spent more than a decade working on behalf of the Housing Authority, we are pleased to continue this important work to further improve the infrastructure of its developments in a budget-neutral way.”
