Case Study: Boston Housing Authority achieves over 30% gas and water reductions and $4.8M annual savings with Ameresco

Boston Housing Authority Reduced Their Gas and Water Usage by Over 30%

The Boston Housing Authority (BHA), the largest landlord in Boston and the biggest public housing authority in New England (3.8M sq ft, ~4,300 units), needed to cut energy and water use across its portfolio while improving living conditions. BHA selected Ameresco to deliver a comprehensive Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) / Guaranteed Energy Savings program — one of the first HUD-approved 20-year EPCs — to address these challenges.

Ameresco designed, managed construction, provided a savings guarantee and ongoing monitoring and verification, implementing 17 efficiency measures in a $66.7M project across 13 developments. The work was completed on time and on budget and drove measurable impact: $4.8M annual energy savings ($119M projected over 20 years), a 37% reduction in water, 36% reduction in natural gas, a 4% drop in electricity use, 30%+ gas and water reductions overall, and the avoidance of ~26 million pounds of CO2 per year, along with a web-based energy management system and resident workforce opportunities.

Boston Housing Authority

Bill McGonagle

Administrator