Jersey City Housing Authority Energy Performance Contract

Jersey City Housing Authority (JCHA) develops and manages Housing of Choice of the highest standards, which is safe, affordable, sustainable and accessible; and, through partnerships with outside organizations, foster resident responsibility and self-sufficiency. As part of its mission, JCHA established a sustainability plan in 2008 to implement portfolio-wide energy efficiency measures while increasing resident comfort and reducing utility expenses. The agency’s first step was to enter an $8.5 million energy performance contract (EPC) and expand its energy efficiency program. Adhering to overlapping, and occasionally conflicting, EPC requirements from multiple legislative bodies was one of the largest challenges JCHA overcame throughout the process.

Through this project, JCHA has upgraded equipment, reduced energy costs, and improved resident comfort, bringing it closer to fulfilling its mission as a housing authority. The utilization of the EPC created the foundation for JCHA to improve housing for the residents of nearly 1,700 housing units, and to save more than $5 million in the first 2 years of implementation.

View the full case study, including details on financing and outcomes, on the Better Buildings Challenge website.