[Skip to Content]

Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs)


Energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs) allow federal agencies to implement cost-saving facility energy improvements with no up-front capital costs. Source: U.S. DOE Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), Energy Savings Performance Contracts for Federal Agenciesopens in new window


Related Topics


Energy Performance

Assessing a building’s energy performance involves comparing its energy use to that of peers or a standard. The ENERGY STAR program provides recognized benchmarks for assessing a building’s energy performance.

Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC)

Energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs) allow Federal agencies to complete energy-savings projects without up-front capital costs and special Congressional appropriations. An ESPC is a partnership between a Federal agency and an energy service company (ESCO). The ESCO conducts a comprehensive energy audit of Federal facilities and identifies improvements to save energy. In consultation with the Federal agency, the ESCO designs and constructs a project that meets the agency's needs and arranges the necessary funding. The ESCO guarantees that the improvements will generate energy cost savings to pay for the project over the term of the contract (up to 25 years). After the contract ends, all additional cost savings accrue to the agency.

Federal agencies can access expert assistance, guidance, and training to help them implement ESPC projects through the Federal Energy Management Programopens in new window (FEMP).

Share non government site opens in new window

Did You Know?

GSA has expanded our SFTool with a Product Search that streamlines sustainable product procurement for vendors and buyers. Visit SFTool Product Search  


Case Study

Flexible Workplace Design

AWL Workstations

Today’s workplaces are often in flux. Organizations change direction or develop new services. People move to new spaces and take on new responsibilities. Teams form and re-form. The spaces themselves are transformed to meet these new needs. These changes are much easier to accommodate, when the workplace design supports flexibility.

View Case Study