FRAMINGHAM, Mass., and HELENA, Mont. — Ameresco Inc., a leading energy efficiency and renewable energy company, announced that it has signed and begun work on an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) with Lewis and Clark County, Mont. Ameresco will install over $1.6 million of energy efficiency improvements at 28 county-owned buildings. The energy efficiency improvements are expected to save the county an estimated $77,000 annually while also addressing critical infrastructure needs. The project is expected to be completed in the fall of 2013.

“We had several county building systems that were at the end of their life cycle and although we had the resources available internally to fund the project, we utilized an energy savings performance contract to repay the capital budgets through the guaranteed energy savings,” said Eric Bryson, administrator, Lewis and Clark County. “This energy savings performance contract with Ameresco will enable us to upgrade and replace all of the necessary infrastructure items this year and avoid the capital costs in the future. This is significant as it will allow us to leverage resources, make improvements, and implement immediate conservation measures otherwise not possible in these difficult economic times.”

Prior to beginning work on the ESPC, Ameresco performed a full investment grade audit to identify areas where energy savings measures could be implemented throughout the county-owned buildings and facilities, as well as created a plan for the design and implementation of project renovations. The comprehensive ESPC includes increased energy efficiency in multiple buildings through lighting upgrades, building envelope improvements, water conservation measures, and HVAC and boiler system upgrades at the Law Enforcement Center and Myrna Loy buildings.