Unprecedented Public Housing Resident Rewards For Saving Energy Wilmington, NC

Today Citizens Conservation Services announces unprecedented financial awards to residents of the Wilmington Housing Authority for their actions to save water and energy. In their fifth year of a $3 million energy performance contract, the WHA Resident Councils have earned $37,000 for their energy conserving practices. School scholarships, school supplies, emergency hardship funds, and cultural events have been financed in each of the past four years from the savings earned by residents.

The Creekwood Residents’ Council, led by Alfredia McDonald, has launched a series of annual community festivals and cultural events with its energy savings fund. The award this year is believed to be the largest Resident Council receipt of funds from utility savings anywhere in the nation.

Residents meet twice yearly with energy educators and receive training and feedback on their efforts to reduce water, electricity, and gas consumption in their apartments. Their efforts have exceeded expectations and part will enable a planned window installation project at the Creekwood, Vesta, and Rankin developments.

The WHA is the first PHA in the southeast to utilize an energy performance contract to pay for comprehensive, energy-related capital improvements; to install super-efficient refrigerators designed especially for PHAs; and to install ground-source heat pumps in conjunction with a performance contract. With the help of Citizens Conservation Services, and several subcontractors, the WHA has completed the installation of the heat pumps and refrigerators; installed the lighting, toilets, insulation, thermostats at Solomon Towers and other energy efficiency measures.

“This project saves the taxpayers and HUD more than $2 million in grants and energy costs over a dozen years.”, said Steve Morgan, President of Citizens. 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.