NORESCO to Implement $34 Million in Energy Upgrades on Capitol Hill

WESTBOROUGH, Mass., Feb. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The Office of the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) awarded an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) to NORESCO, a national leader in energy efficiency and energy infrastructure solutions, for work in the office buildings of the U.S. House of Representatives. The project includes $34 million in facility infrastructure upgrades in the Rayburn, Longworth, Cannon, and Ford House Office Buildings, and the House Page Dormitory. NORESCO is a subsidiary of Carrier Corp., which is a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).

The infrastructure upgrades will pay for themselves through more than $67 million in reduced energy and water consumption costs over the project term. After completion of construction, the House Office Buildings are expected to reduce energy consumption by 23 percent and total water consumption by 32 percent.

The project is also expected to significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions and environmental pollutants (nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides). Carbon dioxide emissions are projected to decline by 9,500 tons each year, equivalent to removing approximately 1,700 cars from the road annually.

In a press release, Stephen T. Ayers, Acting Architect of the Capitol, stated, "By practicing efficient energy management, we save taxpayer dollars, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the environment and natural resources. The actions and initiatives we have implemented over the past several years are making a difference and have saved energy across the Capitol complex. There is more we can do to further conserve energy, and this public-private partnership will help us achieve very significant energy reduction over the next several years."

The NORESCO ESPC will help the House Office Buildings make significant progress toward aggressive energy reduction goals set forth in the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA 2007) and the Green the Capitol Initiative. In addition to energy cost savings, the infrastructure upgrades to be installed by NORESCO will improve equipment performance, reliability and aesthetics. Upgrades will be made to heating, ventilation and air conditioning controls, lighting controls, and nearly 33,000 lighting fixtures. The steam distribution system will also be upgraded, and new low-flow water fixtures, faucets and showerheads will be installed. In addition, a portion of the Cannon Building will receive a state-of-the-art "green roof" to enhance the insulation value of the building and reduce storm water runoff.  

Neil Petchers, NORESCO's president and chief executive officer, added, "We understand the challenge in meeting the targets for energy reduction and implementation of green technologies in government facilities. With this second major energy infrastructure upgrade awarded by the AOC to NORESCO, the government is demonstrating its commitment to making a positive impact on the environment, reducing energy related costs and significantly increasing the efficiency of buildings. NORESCO is honored to extend our ongoing contractual agreement with the AOC through the implementation of this large-scale project. NORESCO is proud of its long history of successfully executing energy efficiency projects in the Washington, D.C. area, and we are excited to be a part of the effort to save energy on Capitol Hill."

About Carrier Corp.

Carrier Corp., headquartered in Farmington, Conn., is the world's largest provider of heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions, with operations in more than 170 countries. Carrier is part of United Technologies Corp., a Hartford, Connecticut-based provider of products and services to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. Visit www.carrier.com for more information.

About NORESCO

As one of the most successful federal ESPC contractors on record and one of the largest U.S. energy services companies, NORESCO specializes in the development, design, construction, financing, and operation of energy and environmental efficiency projects, performance contracting and central energy plants. In addition to various U.S. government agencies, NORESCO clients include public housing authorities, school districts, universities, state and local governments, and industrial and commercial businesses. NORESCO has implemented more than $2.5 billion in energy savings at more than 2,000 sites throughout the U.S. and abroad. NORESCO is a subsidiary of Carrier Corp.

SOURCE NORESCO