Energy Service Companies (ESCOs)

WHAT IS AN ENERGY SERVICE COMPANY (ESCO)?

An Energy Service Company, or ESCO, is a business that designs, installs, maintains, and in many cases finances retrofit and upgrade projects to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and facilities.

ESCOs have the expertise you need to make the most of your energy efficiency opportunities. They generally act as project managers for a wide range of tasks associated with making energy efficiency improvements, and typically offer the following services:

• Identify and evaluate energy-saving opportunities
• Design an energy efficiency program that meets your needs
• Manage the project from design to installation to monitoring
• Arrange for financing
• Train your staff and provide ongoing maintenance services
• Guarantee that energy savings will cover all project costs

ESCOs typically use performance contracting as a way to finance and implement energy efficiency projects.

Consider ESCOs as a “one-stop-shop” for energy efficiency, knowledgeable about the latest technologies, and capable of designing and installing an energy efficiency project that will save you money, improve your business processes, and increase employee productivity. Tapping into their expertise may be a wise business decision.

• Frequently Asked Questions about ESCOs

• Advice on Working with ESCOs

• Comprehensive List of ESCOs Operating in Colorado

© 2003 Southwest Energy Efficiency Project
2260 Baseline Road, Suite 212, Boulder, CO 80302
(303) 447-0078 fax: (303) 786-8054 info@swenergy.org