Central Nebraska Regional School District Partners with Ameresco on Comprehensive Energy Efficiency Project

Sumner-Eddyville-Miller Public Schools’ buildings to be upgraded as part of Energy Savings Performance Contract

FRAMINGHAM, MA and SUMNER, NE – May 16, 2013 – Ameresco, Inc., (NYSE:AMRC), a leading energy efficiency and renewable energy company, announced today that it has begun work on an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) with the Sumner-Eddyville-Miller (SEM) Public Schools in Sumner, Nebraska.  The project will include over $1 million in energy efficiency upgrades on 57,000 square feet of the consolidated School District’s facilities, and is expected to save SEM Public Schools an estimated 31 percent in energy costs annually.  Slated to be completed in early 2014, the improvements are expected to significantly reduce the SEM Public Schools’ carbon footprint.

“The process started several months ago with a Technical Energy Audit of the school facilities,” said Jeff Walburn, Superintendent, Sumner-Eddyville-Miller Public Schools.  “The audit identified many measures that can and will improve the learning environment, while significantly reducing utility and operational costs. The cost savings, from reducing energy and operational expenses, can be used on much needed facility upgrades and replacement of aging equipment. There will be no tax levy to pay for these improvements.”

As part of the ESPC, Ameresco will handle procurement, design, construction, commissioning and project management.  This comprehensive ESPC includes improving energy efficiency in multiple buildings with the installation of new heating and cooling units, lighting retrofits, window replacements and electronic controls.

Focusing on a key energy concern for the school, the project is also expected to reduce the school’s dependence on propane heating through an expanded ground-source heat pump system.  It is also expected to lower the cost of electricity.  Other issues addressed include eliminating drafts and providing cooling where none was available.  With the guidance of school officials, Ameresco developed a series of measures that will address these needs while reducing operating costs and energy consumption for years to come.

“During Ameresco’s investment grade audit, the Superintendent and Board members actively participated in the process of defining the infrastructure improvements needed to enhance the schools’ learning and working environment,” said Louis P. Maltezos, Executive Vice President, Ameresco.  “This partnership with the local community is a great example of how public and private entities can work together to improve our schools.  Upgrading infrastructures, improving energy efficiency, optimizing energy use, reducing energy costs, and realizing the additional environmental benefits, all contribute to a more sustainable future for our children.”

Ameresco has a long history of partnering with school districts to improve energy infrastructure and install renewable energy technologies.  Its pioneering of the ESPC financing model has made the budget-neutral solution an increasingly popular option for customers across North America, which enables budget-neutral energy efficiency upgrades by guaranteeing a minimum level of energy savings over the term of the contract.  Ameresco coordinates the upfront project costs and the school repays that investment with their energy savings over time.

Sumner-Eddyville-Miller (SEM) Public Schools
Sumner-Eddyville-Miller (S-E-M) Public School is a consolidated school district located in central Nebraska, 30 miles from Kearney and 25 miles from Lexington. The purple and gold Mustangs have been consolidated since the mid-1960s.  The school is located in Sumner, which is in Dawson County. Presently, the district has 204 PK-12 students, 25 certified teachers, two administrators and 18 support staff members. The Mission of Sumner-Eddyville-Miller is to provide opportunities for all students to achieve their personal best, become responsible, caring, productive citizens, and embrace lifelong learning in a safe, healthy, and positive environment.

About Ameresco, Inc.
Founded in 2000, Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC) is a leading independent provider of comprehensive services, energy efficiency, infrastructure upgrades, asset sustainability and renewable energy solutions for facilities throughout North America. Ameresco’s services include upgrades to a facility’s energy infrastructure and the development, construction and operation of renewable energy plants.  Ameresco has successfully completed energy saving, environmentally responsible projects with federal, state and local governments, healthcare and educational institutions, housing authorities, and commercial and industrial customers.  With its corporate headquarters in Framingham, MA, Ameresco provides local expertise through its 66 offices in 34 states and five Canadian provinces. Ameresco has more than 900 employees. For more information, visit www.ameresco.com.

The announcement of a customer’s entry into a project contract is not necessarily indicative of the timing or amount of revenue from such contract, of the company’s overall revenue for any particular period or of trends in the company’s overall total construction backlog.