The Energy Services Coalition (ESC) was a national nonprofit organization composed of a network of experts from a wide range of organizations that worked together at the state and local level to increase energy efficiency and building upgrades through energy savings performance contracting (ESPC).
Energy savings performance contracting enables building owners to use future energy savings to pay for the up-front costs of energy-saving projects, eliminating the need to draw from capital budgets.
In 1995, the Utah Office of Energy Services hosted a roundtable discussion on performance contracting and the need for collaboration between end-users and ESCOs in the state. The state, end-users, and ESCOs recognized the value of speaking with a unified voice to promote performance contracting and overcome barriers to its use. This roundtable led to the formation of the Utah Coalition.
Over time, the Utah Coalition helped the Colorado Governor's Office of Energy Management and Conservation establish a similar group in Colorado. It also generated interest from other state energy offices, and representatives from Wyoming, North Dakota, and Montana joined the effort. The U.S. DOE strengthened this multi-state partnership through funding under its Rebuild America program, and the group became known as the Western Regional Coalition (WRC). As its mission expanded, membership grew to include finance companies, building owners, engineering firms, federal agencies, contractors, product companies, and others.
The WRC met quarterly to identify common themes and transitioned into a working forum to develop joint marketing materials, standardize procurement and contract documents, address implementation challenges, and train state energy offices on ESPC.
By 1999, growing national interest led the WRC to expand into a formal national organization structured as a public-private partnership. Its membership and board included representatives from state energy offices, ESCOs, finance companies, building owners, and other stakeholders. Reflecting this broader scope, the organization became the Energy Services Coalition (ESC).
Over the following decades, ESC played an important role in supporting and advancing ESPC programs across the country. Through changing political environments, fluctuating funding, and economic cycles, ESPC consistently proves to be a resilient and effective delivery model. Its budget-neutral structure and measurable outcomes make it a fiscally responsible, bipartisan approach to infrastructure improvement.
Through ESPC, public entities are empowered to:
· Modernize and upgrade aging infrastructure
· Improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions
· Save taxpayer dollars through guaranteed performance
· Enhance resilience and reliability of public facilities
· Stimulate local job creation and economic activity
· Advance state and national energy and climate goals
ESC also built and supported a strong national network, offering education, technical assistance, peer exchange, and resources that strengthened the industry and helped scale ESPC adoption nationwide. Its 27 state chapters reflected a successful public-private partnership model, delivering on-the-ground education and program support across the country.
As of September 2020, ESC had grown to more than 238 members representing all 50 states.
Following many years of impact and leadership, ESC has now formally dissolved. Moving forward, its activities, resources, and active state chapters will be managed by National Association of Energy Service Companies (NAESCO), ensuring continuity and ongoing support for the ESPC community.
We extend our sincere gratitude to all members, partners, and stakeholders for their years of support, engagement, and leadership. Your collective efforts strengthened the ESPC industry, expanded its reach, and demonstrated its value as a critical tool for public sector investment.
It is our hope that ESPC will continue to serve as a primary mechanism for public agencies to achieve infrastructure modernization, fiscal responsibility, emissions reduction, and long-term community resilience.