PowerOptions Launches Building Decarbonization as a Service Program for NonProfits

The no-upfront-cost solution removes financial barriers to building decarbonization for nonprofits and public entities across New England

BOSTON, MA, Jan 09, 2025 – PowerOptions, the Boston-headquartered nonprofit energy consortium serving public entities and nonprofits across New England, announced today the launch of its Building Decarbonization as a Service (BDaaS) program. The innovative program enables organizations to decarbonize their buildings with zero upfront capital by leveraging energy savings to pay for project implementation, operations, maintenance, and performance verification over time.

The new program addresses the primary barrier preventing nonprofits and public entities from achieving their sustainability goals: the high upfront cost of comprehensive decarbonization projects. Through BDaaS, organizations can implement energy efficiency measures, clean heating and cooling systems, renewable energy installations, and electrical infrastructure upgrades without requiring significant capital investment.

PowerOptions developed the program in response to strong member interest in decarbonization solutions. Two key challenges were identified during the program development, which BDaaS aims to address; organizations require competitive procurement processes for large capital projects, and project funding – many organizations lack the capital to fund expensive decarbonization initiatives upfront.

The program comes after a rigorous competitive procurement process, with PowerOptions selecting qualified vendors Energy Systems Group, Johnson Controls, Trane, and Ecosave. These vendors underwent extensive evaluation by an expert panel on criteria including experience, pricing methodology, performance guarantees, and contract terms.

“We build programs around the needs of our Members, and one thing we have been hearing is that many are motivated to decarbonize their buildings,” said Tina Bennett, CEO of PowerOptions. “This program represents our commitment to creating solutions that directly respond to what our Members tell us they need.”

“We designed BDaaS to address the specific challenges nonprofits and public entities face when pursuing decarbonization,” said Erin Camp, Director of Energy Sustainability and Analytics at PowerOptions. “By leveraging energy savings to pay for improvements over 10-20 year terms, we’ve created a pathway that makes comprehensive building decarbonization achievable for organizations that previously couldn’t access these projects.”

The program offers comprehensive project options including energy efficiency upgrades, heat pump installations, solar and storage systems, electrical service upgrades, building envelope improvements, and responsible retirement of outdated equipment. Projects are tailored to each organization’s specific needs and can be implemented across individual buildings or entire portfolios.

BDaaS is available to nonprofits and public entities across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Maine. The program is particularly well-suited for buildings with high annual energy spending, medium-to-large facilities over 10,000 square feet, projects exceeding $500,000 in scope, building portfolios, and campus settings with central utility plants.

About PowerOptions 

PowerOptions is a nonprofit energy consortium that has been helping public entities and nonprofits navigate energy markets since 1998. The organization provides energy procurement services, demand response programs, and clean energy solutions to more than 500 Members across New England. PowerOptions is committed to supporting member goals for affordability, resiliency, and decarbonization. For more information, visit www.poweroptions.org.

Media Contact 

Karen Veliz, on behalf of PowerOptions

karen@axonomy.io