Brewer Housing Authority in Brewer, ME, chose CTI for its ESPC because of our team’s decades of experience working with Public Housing Authorities (PHAs).

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds and supervises 3,300 Public Housing Authorities. With 1,200,000 residential units, PHAs offer homes to more than 2,000,000 residents, half of which are seniors or disabled.

Since its inception in 2009 CTI has dedicated its work to serving PHAs with improved resident and staff safety and comfort and modernizing aging facilities with energy efficiency. We have executed ESPCs and other services for a range of Public Housing Authorities in the Northeast, Midwest, and West.

Brewer Housing Authority in Brewer, ME, chose CTI for its ESPC because of our team’s decades of experience of work with PHAs. The third-party financing and guaranteed energy and cost savings offered by CTI appealed to the Executive Director and the volunteer Board of Commissioners.

Goals

The goal of the BHA work was to install a complex set of energy conservation measures planned to improve the quality of life of residents and save money for BHA. CTI designed an upgrade of the heating systems changing them from expensive electric baseboard modules to hydronic (hot water) radiators. To achieve this, boilers needed to be Installed and new underground piping laid. Where there were inefficient oil fired boilers we replaced them with high efficiency condensing gas boilers. Residential improvements included water measures such as reducing shower flow rates, new low flow toilets, and aerators. Plug loads were reduced by installing higher efficiency appliances. Building envelopes were improved with additional insulation to reduce heat loss.

Challenges

The challenges started with our need to explain to the Executive Director and the Board the novel structure of an ESPC. The interwoven components of engineering, financial, and construction, all paid for by avoided utility costs, require understanding beyond that of a simple construction project. During installation of the hydronic heating system and piping, the construction team encountered ledge rock situated between buildings. The old heating system did not have space for the new boilers the heating modifications required. Since the apartments were inhabited, CTI had to work closely with residents to schedule and carefully manage installations in their living space. Several national banks offered loans for the ESPC, the BHA Board preferred working with a local bank, if possible.

Results

Positive results became apparent during construction. CTI’s team found a way to drill through the ledge rock and lay heavily insulated pipe to transport hot water to the building spread across the property. CTI designed and built extensions to existing buildings to contain the new boilers. Teaching our PHA customers about ESPCs is a normal part of our business development. At Brewer CTI made multiple visits and offered frequent in-person and virtual coaching about ESPC energy cost savings. CTI established relationships with a regional Maine bank with a branch in Brewer and trained the bankers in the ESPC financing structure to arrange long term financing, to the satisfaction of the BHA Board. The bank went on to finance several more CTI ESPCs.