Pittsylvania County, Virginia, wanted to make its 1930s Moses Building, which houses the county sheriff’s offices, more energy-efficient and comfortable for workers. “The building was cooled with over 50 window AC units and steam boiler heat. Most of the time, the offices were too hot or too cold and the old windows were allowing moisture intrusion, which was causing peeling paint and failing plaster,” Pittsylvania County Public Works Director Chris Adcock told Smart Cities Dive. With several other major projects on the horizon, the county didn’t have the funds to construct a new building, he said. Instead, it signed an energy savings performance contract with Ameresco, an energy service company. The contract helps the county make cash flow-neutral energy upgrades to its aging buildings while still adhering to historic standards and regulations. Amaresco recommended that Pittsylvania County install new double-pane windows and a variable refrigerant flow HVAC system, “which worked really well for this project,” Adcock said. “It allowed us to create individually controlled zones without needing extensive ductwork, which was important because the 1930s-era building didn’t have much available space for chases or mechanical runs.” ESPCs, which debuted nearly half a century ago, are becoming an increasingly popular way to retrofit aging city buildings, said Peter Christakis, chief operating officer for Ameresco. “An ESPC is a wonderful vehicle for cities and towns that don’t have access to capital funds to really improve their facilities quickly,” he said. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, energy service companies, or ESCOs, like Ameresco typically work on ESPC projects with 10- to 20-year contracts worth at least $1 million. These contracts usually stipulate that the city or county owns the equipment the ESCO installs, and the ESCO maintains the equipment over the life of the contract. The ESCO also guarantees a fixed amount