Should Read: 'The Multi-Talented Tradesmen'

The Multi-Talented Contractor

September 04, 2011 - The green economy is more than quietly turning windmills and grand visions of new infrastructure; it is also construction boots on the ground in public buildings across the US.

With budget constraints looming on the mind of government officials at every level, the question of how to pay for mandated or wished-for infrastructure improvements that cut energy usage in public buildings has grown ever more pressing. The use of energy savings performance contracts may be part of the solution to that quandary.

The ESPC, a widely-used acronym in federal government circles, is "a budget-neutral solution to implement energy efficiency measures," Executive Vice President of Business Development at Ameresco David Anderson told AOL Energy. Ameresco focuses on retrofitting mostly government buildings, and has been expanding recently through acquisitions, taking on Arizona-based APS Energy Services from Pinnacle West Capital in a deal that closed in late August.

Public building owners have the advantage of long timelines but also face the challenge of budgets limited by annual appropriation procedures that do not always take into account the needs of capital investment in new energy-efficient water use, lighting or roofs and windows. read more>>>