Ameresco Partners with Kentucky School District for Guaranteed Energy Savings Project

Wolfe County Schools commit to energy efficiency initiatives to help achieve high quality learning environments.

FRAMINGHAM, MA and CAMPTON, KY – March 15, 2016 – Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC), a leading energy efficiency and renewable energy company, and the Kentucky School District announced today they are partnering on a comprehensive $2.9 million Guaranteed Energy Savings Contract (GESC) to improve Wolfe County Schools (WCS) facilities and increase operational efficiency. The upgrades are expected to deliver greater energy efficiency and operational cost savings; improve comfort for students, teachers, staff and others; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and demonstrate the District’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship.

“Working with Ameresco has made it possible for the School District to implement a number of additional energy efficient upgrades in our schools, and to make improvements to the learning environment for our students and staff,” said Kenny Bell, Superintendent, Wolfe County Schools. “We’re also pleased that the efficiency measures and upgrades are expected to deliver nearly $150,000 in annual energy savings not only benefiting the schools but the District and our local community for many years to come.”

The GESC project, which is currently underway, provides facility improvements including LED lighting retrofits, water system and building system upgrades across several facilities, as well as complete heating, cooling and air conditioning replacements at the Red River Valley Elementary and Rogers Elementary Schools. Ameresco’s project is being coordinated with and implemented on the same schedule as a traditionally procured capital project that will provide architectural upgrades to some of Wolfe County Schools’ buildings. That project, managed through Murphy Graves Trimble Architects of Lexington, KY, will be providing all new windows and exterior finishes at the same elementary schools. These improvements are expected to enhance the benefits of the new HVAC systems at the schools as well as update each school’s appearance. In addition, the capital project includes some Interior upgrades to restrooms and a new classroom addition at the High School.

“Ameresco commends Superintendent Bell, his staff, and the Wolfe County Board of Education for their leadership and foresight in pursuing projects to update the schools, and for their ongoing commitment to provide a great learning environment for their students,” said Louis P. Maltezos, Executive Vice President, Ameresco. “Utilizing a GESC is a fiscally-responsible approach to leverage Wolfe County’s existing budgets and current capital project to implement a wide-range of additional upgrades and facility improvements.”

The environmental benefits from the GESC project include: an annual reduction of nearly 600,000 kwh of electrical usage which equates to a reduction of 414 metric tons of CO2 or the elimination of 1 million miles driven by a passenger vehicle; the annual reduction of 48,000 therms of natural gas usage per year, the equivalent of a CO2 reduction of 254 metric tons of CO2 per year or the equivalent of 605,000 miles driven by a passenger vehicle; and an annual water reduction of 800,000 gallons per year.  

The GESC project involved the following facilities: Wolfe County High School, Wolfe County Middle School, Campton Elementary School, Red River Valley Elementary School, Rogers Elementary School, the Central Office and Bus Garage. 

About Wolfe County Schools
The mission of Wolfe County School is to prepare students to meet challenges in life by providing an educational program that includes a partnership with families and community and that offers an instructional environment that is designed to meet the critical needs of all students, allowing them to develop the knowledge, skills, and values to pursue their individual potential and become self-sufficient, productive members of our global society. For more information, visit http://www.wolfe.k12.ky.us/,

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 businesses and organizations throughout North America and Europe. Ameresco’s sustainability 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 has more than 1,000 employees providing local expertise in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. 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. This project was included in our previously reported fully contracted backlog as of December 31, 2015.