by Shane Henson — August 13, 2012—NORESCO, one of the largest energy services companies in the United States, was selected to partner with the Town of Reading and Reading Public Schools in Massachusetts to combat the town’s skyrocketing energy, fuel and water expenses in a cost-effective way that requires little upfront costs.
NORESCO specializes in the development, design, construction, financing and operation of energy and environmental efficiency projects, performance contracting and central energy plants. NORESCO’s plan for the Town of Reading included upgrading existing building systems, such as boilers and chillers, installing new systems for solar hot water, upgrading to energy-efficient lighting, adding state-of-the-art occupancy sensors in all buildings, implementing low-flow or low-flush devices and improving weatherization. The project also added a comprehensive Web-based control system that allows the town to centrally manage building systems.
Working with state-certified NORESCO, the town did identify opportunities for system upgrades, new equipment installation and numerous energy-efficiency initiatives at all of its municipal buildings, the police and fire station, senior center, library and schools. The $5.5 million in improvements have already yielded significant reductions in energy and water consumption across 15 municipal buildings, including eight schools, says NORESCO. Just as impressive, in just a year, the energy-efficiency improvements alone have saved Reading more than $340,000 in verified annual energy consumption costs and reduced emissions by roughly 1,300 tons of carbon dioxide, 3.5 tons of sulfur oxides and 2.0 tons of nitrogen oxides.
The majority of the project was funded from reductions in energy and water consumption guaranteed by NORESCO. Grants and incentives from the local municipal electric utility and National Grid and funds from the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act through the Department of Energy Resources enabled an even greater array of measures than what would have been otherwise possible.
