Rescue Union School District Selects NORESCO for $3 Million Retrofit Project Further Bolstered by Proposition 39

WESTBOROUGH, Mass., Dec. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- NORESCO, a national leader in energy efficiency and energy infrastructure solutions, has entered into an agreement with Rescue Union School District in Rescue, California, to implement $3 million in energy improvements to school facilities. With funding support from Proposition 39, the California Clean Energy Jobs Act, the district will realize even greater savings. The comprehensive lighting and controls project is scheduled to be completed in 2015. NORESCO specializes in the development, design, construction, financing and operation of energy- and environmental-efficiency projects and is a part of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).

The project, which is expected to save $3.8 million in future energy costs over the life of the equipment, will improve seven K-8 schools serving 4,000 students. The retrofits are expected to make Rescue Union School District one of the first in California to upgrade lighting to LED technology throughout its facilities. This upgrade exceeds the requirements of the state's 2013 Title 24 standards, which set energy efficiency regulations for buildings.

"By committing to these kinds of sizable, deep retrofits, Rescue Union is taking the commitment to energy efficiency to the next level, which benefits students, teachers and staff," said Rob Reading, account executive, NORESCO. "These improvements position the school system for classroom improvements, reduced maintenance requirements and long-term cost savings."  

The California Clean Energy Jobs Act, also known as Proposition 39, made up to $550 million available annually until 2018 for appropriation by the legislature for eligible projects to improve energy efficiency and expand clean energy generation in schools.

The Rescue Union district's commitment to environmental and fiscal stewardship through energy efficiency predates the passage of Proposition 39. School leaders recognized that the combination of Proposition 39 funds and the district's available resources could enable more robust and comprehensive improvements within the district and that NORESCO could help the school system expedite results.

"Prop 39 is a catalyst for California's school leaders to move energy-efficiency improvements even higher on the priority list," said Sid Albaugh, chief business and operations officer, Rescue Union School District. "NORESCO facilitated our delivery of a five-year energy expenditure plan for the district to the California Energy Commission. Furthermore, by embracing these upgrades, the district is benefiting fiscally and creating more jobs in our community in the spirit of Prop 39."

Based on the five-year plan submitted, the savings from the project are expected to be six times the total Proposition 39 allocation.

Benefits from the fast-track project, in addition to building retrofits, include standardization across interior and exterior lighting equipment, long-term reductions to operating budgets for more predictable planning, upgrades and consistency across building controls systems for improved efficiency, and replacement of selected heating, ventilating and air-conditioning components that are failing or unreliable.

About NORESCO

As one of the largest energy services companies in the U.S., NORESCO utilizes design-build, performance-based contracting vehicles and asset monetization solutions to deliver energy and maintenance savings and significant infrastructure upgrades to existing facilities. NORESCO has guaranteed more than $3 billion in energy and operating cost savings at more than 7,000 facilities throughout the U.S. and abroad. NORESCO also offers a full suite of consulting services to integrate sustainable design strategies into new construction and existing buildings. NORESCO is a part of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp., a leading provider to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. For more information, visit www.noresco.com.

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SOURCE NORESCO

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