Schneider Electric Nails Contract Extension for $8.6 Million Energy Retrofit

Schneider Electric, Palatine, Ill., got an $8.6 million performance contract for ESCO work at the University of North Texas (UNT) Health Science Center. This contract extends the 10-year partnership between Schneider Electric and the University of North Texas system, which includes a $42 million energy efficiency project announced in 2010.

Scheduled for completion in early 2012, the project will generate a guaranteed annual energy savings of 24 percent, reduce electricity use by 12 percent, natural gas use by 10 percent and water use by 6 percent. The project is also estimated to produce annual cost reductions of more than $835,000, which includes $73,000 in utility incentives, and almost $2.7 million in positive cash flow.

A press release announcing the contract extension said the retrofit will focus on upgrading lighting and controls; mechanical systems including pumps, chillers and laboratory hood systems; PC power management; and replacing windows. More than 1,100 existing lighting fixtures will be retrofitted with high efficiency lamps and ballasts, and 2,700 occupancy sensors will be installed.

Schneider Electric will also implement Smart Grid technology to curtail utility usage and upgrade building controls to give facilities a greater ability to respond to occupant needs. In the past 20 years, Schneider Electric has successfully completed hundreds of performance contracts and helped clients around the world save over $1 billion.