CGE Energy, an engineer of no-capital cost energy solutions, announces its selection to implement the nation’s first joint “Energy Performance Contract” project for HUD’s small low-income housing agencies. The multi-million dollar project will comprise of three Public Housing Authorities and 213 apartments throughout northern Michigan, at the properties of Mt. Pleasant Housing Commission, Charlevoix Housing Commission and East Jordan Housing Commission.
These three Michigan PHA sites will benefit from CGE Energy’s “Sustain EPC” program. “Energy Performance Contracts” redirect energy cost savings into energy upgrades that get needed infrastructure improvements done, alleviate costs and obligations of the PHA’s staff and improve the housing resident’s quality of life.
CGE Energy’s team has performed comprehensive, investment-grade energy audits of the PHA facilities and defined the appropriate measures to implement. Measures to be implemented include such energy saving and sustainable energy measures as LED lighting upgrades, plumbing fixtures, boilers, water heaters, natural gas co-generation, solar PV, improved energy management systems, as well as infrastructure repairs at some sites. The sites are also being evaluated for the future implementation of CGE’s WIND-e20 wind turbine.
Kim Johnson, executive director of Mount Pleasant Housing Commission, lead the initiative to make these EPCs happen. “CGE Energy’s approach to these improvements and the educational elements they incorporate into their projects will make this endeavor something we can all be proud of,” said Johnson. “The savings that our agencies will realize covers the debt for the upgrades and also gives profit back into our operating budgets.”
Small PHAs find it much harder to attract bidders and get building improvements projects done, in comparison to their larger HUD counterparts. “Trying to optimally manage our agencies, following all the same regulations as larger agencies but without the ability to get any additional funding, is an issue we face consistently,” Johnson stated.
CGE Energy and its diverse team have worked with more than 200 public housing authorities over their years in business. Most recently, CGE tailored its “Sustain” program to meet the needs of small PHAs. There are seven additional Michigan PHAs currently in line after this three-site pilot is complete. CGE will produce a documentary on the projects with the goal to open up the door for other housing directors and National HUD to see how the “Sustain EPC” program can help preserve and sustain public housing.
For further information, contact Media Communications, Paul Schneider, 248-446-1344, pschneider@cgeenergy.com
