Guaranteed Energy Performance Contracting

About the Program

Category: County Resiliency (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

Cook County provides critical services to residents at its facilities, and it is imperative that they operate as efficiently as possible. A 2011 study found that many County buildings were functionally obsolete, inefficient to operate, and in need of modernization. In 2012, Cook County adopted sustainability goals to reduce energy and water consumption and decrease emissions from its municipal facilities. Guaranteed Energy Performance Contracting (GEPC) represents an innovative fiscal solution that addresses facility conditions and building performance. The GEPC initiative establishes the County’s leadership role in national, state and regional sustainability efforts. Nationally, at $60M, it is the largest single-phase project ever undertaken by a County. Estimated project savings are 20% reduction in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions and $4.1M in guaranteed annual utility savings ($2.1M at Corrections Complex and $2M at the Hospital Campus). At the local level, the GEPC projects target building energy use which is the single largest contributor of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG). The Hospital and Corrections’ facilities make up two-thirds of the GHG generated by County facilities.