Ameresco, Inc., (NYSE: AMRC), a leading energy infrastructure solutions provider, and Velarium Energy, a trusted services and solutions partner to the Department of War (DOW), today announced the successful completion of an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) valued at over $30 million to modernize U.S. Army military family housing at Fort Polk, Louisiana.
The upgrades are projected to reduce the Fort Polk family housing portfolio’s annual electrical consumption by 30% and deliver more than $2.6 million in annual utility and operational cost savings. The project modernizes residential energy systems, enhancing comfort and improving efficiency for military families across 3,600 homes owned and operated by Corvias, a partner of choice to DOW. Beyond delivering long-term savings to the installation, the initiative fostered local economic growth by investing in the community and supporting the local workforce.
“We are proud to partner with Ameresco to help improve quality of life for service members and their families while advancing the Army’s long-term energy goals,” said Pablo Varela, Executive Vice President, Velarium Energy. “This project demonstrates what’s possible when public and private partners bring together domestic manufacturing, technology efficiencies, and long-term investment to deliver scalable energy solutions that can be replicated across military installations nationwide.”
by Voltage (Below 60V, 60V-120V, 120V-380V, 380V-1.5kV), Type (Air, Molded Case, Others), Breaking Mechanism (Solid-state, Hybrid, Mechanical), End User, and Region
Download free sample pagesThe project’s improvements include replacing traditional HVAC systems with renewable, Oklahoma-manufactured ground-source heat pump (GSHP) technology, completing a comprehensive geothermal conversion across all homes on the installation. Prior project phases include the deployment of advanced metering for improved energy management, installation of high-efficiency LED lighting throughout residential units, and optimization of hot water systems, leveraging GSHP technology to more efficiently generate hot water. These measures collectively reduce maintenance demands, boost long-term reliability, and improve Fort Polk’s overall energy resilience.
“This milestone reinforces our commitment to delivering resilient, energy-efficient housing solutions for our military families,” said Nicole Bulgarino, President of Federal Solutions and Power Infrastructure at Ameresco. “Fort Polk is now the first Army installation to complete a full geothermal transition across all homes, strengthening resiliency, and long-term sustainability.”
The benefits achieved through this family housing ESPC at Fort Polk underscore the long-term value of geothermal infrastructure, which uses stable underground temperatures to heat and cool homes more efficiently. With family housing now operating on advanced GSHP technology, military families will benefit from improved year-round comfort, lower energy costs, and greater long-term reliability.
Known as the “Home of Heroes,” Fort Polk is a cornerstone of U.S. Army readiness and serves as the premiere U.S Army combat training center to prepare units for worldwide deployment. The installation spans more than 198,000 acres in the heart of Louisiana’s Sportsman’s Paradise.
