Denver Federal Center Going Electric, Solar and Geothermal Through Ameresco Work
Ameresco has signed a $183 million Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to move the Denver Federal Center (DFC) towards GSA’s aim of achieving a net-zero campus by 2045.
The award will enhance the electrification of the Denver Federal Center, located in Lakewood, Colorado, with 14.4 MW of ground-mount solar PV systems and 62.4 million British thermal units per hour of geothermal bores, alongside 20.1 MMBtu/h of electric heat pump capacity. The upgrades are designed to provide year-round heating and cooling to displace fossil fuel-fired equipment across 13 buildings.
Moreover, an Energy Sales Agreement within the broader ESPC will leverage tax credits for renewable energy. The project is designed to minimize grid-purchased energy use by approximately 51 percent and reduce fossil fuel consumption by 51.5 percent. Approximately half of the campus electricity is generated by solar photovoltaics.
The project supports the General Services Administration commitment to the Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings, achieving a 49 percent and 10 percent reduction in natural gas consumption and water usage relative to the baseline, respectively. The modernized campus will serve as a model for sustainable technology adoption within the federal government.
“When we integrate renewable energy and electrification technologies at scale, federal campuses like the Denver Federal Center become a leading example of how modernization gets us resilient, net-zero buildings,” said Robin Carnahan, GSA Administrator, in a statement. “This is how we get a triple win – creating jobs, saving taxpayer dollars through energy efficiency, and supporting healthier communities all across the country.”
The Denver Federal Center has facilities where more than 6,000 employees work. It includes nearly 100 buildings.
GSA is pursuing decarbonization strategies for the its building fleet in a number of ways. The agency signed a $172 million energy savings performance contract with Constellation to implement energy efficiency technologies at five facilities in the National Capital Region. The energy savings work will include LED lighting, weatherization, window inserts, new and upgraded HVAC and building control equipment at the Elijah Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse, the William B. Bryant Annex, the Orville Wright Federal Building and the Wilbur Wright Federal Building all located in Washington, DC, and the Harvey W. Wiley Federal Building in College Park, Maryland.
Constellation also is going to dedicate capacity from its nuclear power plant fleet to the GSA through another $840 million agreement. Nuclear energy is carbon-free.
