Dr. Timothy Unruh, the Executive Director of the National Association of Energy Service Companies, discusses the challenges that school districts face in maintaining and upgrading their facilities. These challenges include aging infrastructure, insufficient funds, and the impact of climate change. He highlights the importance of innovative financial strategies and partnerships, such as energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs) and collaborations with energy service companies (ESCOs), in revamping school infrastructure. Dr. Unruh also emphasizes the availability of tax credits and grants for funding these projects. He explains the process of procuring capital infrastructure and the benefits of design-build procurement. Additionally, he addresses concerns about the guarantee of energy savings in ESPCs and the impact of utility costs on these projects. 

In this conversation, Timothy Unruh discusses the involvement of the Department of Energy in performance contracts and the role of state energy offices. He explains how state and federal grants enhance the scope of projects and the importance of a strong partnership between school districts and ESCOs. Unruh also addresses the cost of working with an ESCO and the long-term relationship between the ESCO and the school district. He shares a success story of a project in the Little Rock School District and discusses the educational benefits of energy performance contracts. Unruh concludes by discussing emerging trends in the energy space and providing advice for school business officials interested in pursuing energy performance contracts.

Contact School Business Insider:

• Check us out on social media:
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter (X)
• Website: https://asbointl.org/SBI
• Email: podcast@asbointl.org

Make sure to like, subscribe and share for more great insider episodes!

Disclaimer:

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the Association of School Business Officials International. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "ASBO International" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service. The presence of any advertising does not endorse, or imply endorsement of, any products or services by ASBO International.

ASBO International is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and does not participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for elective public office. The sharing of news or information concerning public policy issues or political campaigns and candidates are not, and should not be construed as, endorsements by ASBO Internatio...