Energy-as-a-Service

Abilene Christian University (ACU), a leading private university in West Texas with over 6,000 students. ACU has partnered with Bernhard on a transformative project to address its deferred maintenance backlog while enhancing sustainability through renewable energy solutions. A key component of the project is the installation of an 18 MWac solar array, designed to offset existing utility costs and provide long-term cost certainty. Additionally, critical upgrades to the campus’s central cooling and heating systems will improve resilience, supporting ACU’s future growth. The project is also focused on operational improvements, including upgrades to HVAC, building automation, and lighting systems, which will enhance energy efficiency and significantly reduce operational costs.

Beyond the campus improvements, the project will bring substantial public benefits. ACU’s investment in renewable energy will allow the University to fully offset all Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions from electrical consumption, drastically reducing its environmental footprint. Over the projected two years of construction, with much of the equipment produced domestically, the project will create hundreds of short- and long-term construction jobs, contributing to the local economy. These efforts will not only address the maintenance backlog but also ensure that ACU’s systems remain reliable for educational and community services.