Citizens Conservation Services and Oakland Housing Team to Win EBMUD Water Conservation Award

Framingham, MA.–( PRNEWSWIRE)-February 20, 2001-Oakland Housing Authority was awarded the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) Water Conservation Project Award for the Year 2000 on February 9 for a project designed and implemented by Citizens Conservation Services. Citizens installed 1,300 ultra low flush toilets at no cost to the agency or to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

By installing faucet aerators and low-flow showerheads– as well as 1.6 gallon flush toilets-Citizens is expected to save the Oakland Housing Authority more than 22% of its current water and sewer bill. EBMUD recognized the OHA and Citizens for its energy savings improvements which included new boilers, furnaces, controls, hot water systems, chiller improvements, lighting, and refrigerators are also being installed.

The project cost, including the water improvements, totals $2.1 million, with annual savings expected to surpass $345,000. Pacific Gas & Electric is also providing almost $200,000 in financial incentives for lighting and other measures provided under the energy performance contracting program. The lighting and water conservation improvements, offering paybacks at most developments in less than four years, are helping to pay for the measures with longer paybacks, including the boiler and furnace replacements.

In today’s announcement of the project, Citizens President Stephen Morgan stated, “An innovative financing program championed by Finance Director Stuart Hughes and Executive Director John Gresley has provided Oakland Housing with the resources to install capital improvements that has increased the comfort of residents, reduce operating costs, improve the environment, and enhance the value of their properties”.

Oakland is the first public housing agency in the country to win permission from HUD to undertake an energy performance contract for its resident-paid utilities. EMBUD’s General Manager, David Diemer, also recognized OHA Project Manager Judy Monnier and Citizens for their work in improving the quality of life for OHA’s residents.

Citizens Conservation Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ameresco, Inc., develops and implements utility-saving projects in large public housing and multi-family residential properties. The company specializes in developing and financing opportunities that guarantees a level of utility savings.

Ameresco, headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts, was founded by George P. Sakellaris, a pioneer in the energy services business. Ameresco provides its customers with innovative solutions for energy conservation and power generation.