Using Energy Performance Contracting to Advance Decarbonization and Resiliency in Local Governments: A County of Maui Case Study
2025 (English)In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, SASBE 2024, Springer Nature , 2025, p. 1583-1593Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)
Abstract [en]
Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) can be used by local governments to contract energy services companies (ESCOs) to leverage energy savings to implement a wide-range of decarbonization and resiliency measures. Such measures not only reduce capital and operating costs, but can also lead to significant decarbonization and increased resiliency of built-environment and transportation assets. The County of Maui (CoM), Hawaii initiated an EPC program in 2018 which, in addition to cost savings, has resulted in significant advancements in decarbonization and resiliency. A literature review was conducted to identify best practices and lessons learned in EPC applied within local governments. A case study approach was also used based on the author’s direct experience serving as a lead member of a team within the CoM who planned and implemented EPC within the organization over a four-year period from 2018–2022. A qualitative and quantitative assessment of decarbonization and resiliency benefits achieved by the CoM through its EPC initiative was conducted, as well as best practices for project development and project management. The CoM’s EPC program resulted in advancing decarbonization and resiliency in operations and infrastructure. This EPC program has resulted in the implementation of substantial energy and water conservation measures, renewable energy and energy storage measures, and clean transportation measures that may otherwise not have been implemented or would have taken significantly longer to implement. To address deferred maintenance, public procurement obstacles, and a lack of available budgets, local governments should utilize EPC as an important tool to advance decarbonization, resiliency, and equity within their organizations and local communities.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Springer Nature , 2025. p. 1583-1593
Keywords [en]
Clean Energy, Climate Change, Decarbonization, Local Governments, Resiliency
National Category
Energy Systems
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-363207DOI: 10.1007/978-981-96-4051-5_151Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105003628697OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-363207DiVA, id: diva2:1956914
Conference
International Conference of Sustainable Development and Smart Built Environments, SDSBE 2024, Auckland, New Zealand, Nov 7 2024 - Nov 9 2024
Note
Part of ISBN 9789819640508
QC 20250509
2025-05-072025-05-072025-05-09Bibliographically approved