The Columbia Housing Authority (CHA) of Columbia, SC, has executed a $2.7 million energy performance contract with Ameresco.
The project will provide energy efficiency upgrades and water to more than 1,200 CHA housing units, and is expected to save over $6.5 million for CHA over the 20-year contract term.
The CHA is using the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) energy performance contract program, which uses the energy and water savings to leverage private capital to cover the costs of the improvements, so there is no out-of-pocket cost to the CHA.
The HUD energy performance contract program provides incentives to public housing authorities across the country to implement energy and water savings improvements to their housing units. Since inception of the program about 20 years ago, more than 240 public housing authorities nationwide have participated in the program, which has leveraged over $839 million in energy and water improvements.
The $2.7 million scope of the CHA project includes water and lighting efficiency upgrades, as well as upgrades to mechanical equipment at three CHA sites: Hammond Village, Oak Read High Rise, and Marion Street High Rise. Construction will begin in early 2013 and continue for about a year.