The Opportunity

Prior to partnering with 5, the Irving Convention Center (ICC) had procured energy by issuing RFPs directly to suppliers. While this process met their basic needs, the ICC lacked the time and tools to track and analyze market conditions or conduct usage analyses that would allow the facility to capitalize on periodic market fluctuations. As a result, the ICC had little opportunity to reduce baseline energy costs or pursue operational efficiencies. Additionally, the ICC had initiated a new lighting project but lacked the funding to complete it.

The Fort Worth Zoo was founded in 1909 with one lion, two bear cubs, an alligator, a coyote, a peacock and a few rabbits. It is the oldest, continuously operating zoo in Texas. From these humble beginnings, the Zoo has grown into a nationally recognized facility, housing more than 7,000 native and exotic animals, representing more than 500 species.

The City of Mansfield looked to 5 to help identify better ways of purchasing electricity and operating their facilities. This included moving away from a municipal aggregation and into a favorable supply contract that will save the city approximately $9 million in electricity expenses. 5 also worked with the city to improve the operations of its water treatment plant. Adjustments to the operating profile of the main water pumps and training provided to the staff reduced demand charges by over $100,000. 5’s energy expertise enabled the City of Mansfield to significantly lower their operating expenses and improve the efficiency of the water utility that serves the city.

Royal Holiday Group has more than 35 years of experience in the national and international tourism industry. It is an owner and operator of Royal Holiday Vacation Club and Park Royal Hotels & Resorts, a hotel chain with 14 resorts in Mexico, Argentina, Puerto Rico and Florida in the United States. Park Royal Hotels and Resorts caters to travelers that are looking for a luxurious beach destination with their Grand Park Royal resorts, a family-friendly resort with their Park Royal line or their Park Royal City group of hotels which offers a more urban hotel setting.

Sugar Land, TX -  September 10, 2019

Fort Bend Independent School District (FBISD) has powered its way to significant energy cost reductions and a cleaner energy future by executing a new 100% renewable electricity agreement, facilitated through a new partnership with energy advisory firm 5.

Fort Worth based Crescent Real Estate LLC is a real estate operating company and investment advisor with assets under management, development, and investment capacity of more than $10 billion. Notable assets include: The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas, The Luminary (Dallas), Westshore Grand Hotel (Tampa) and Canyon Ranch Resorts.

Waterside Plaza is a luxury rental community in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in New York City. Located in the Kips Bay section of Manhattan, Waterside Plaza is comprised of four residential towers with nearly 1,500 units and retail space that serves the community. The complex is adjacent to the United Nations International School and is situated on the East River.

Houghton College had a number of exciting energy projects on campus prior to engaging the team at 5. These projects were driven by their commitment to sustainability and featured a campus-wide LED lighting retrofit project, a 2.6 MW solar array and other initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint. 5 was able to partner with Houghton College’s sustainability and finance teams to put all of the pieces together into a comprehensive strategy for energy procurement and demand-side management.

One of NYC’s largest and most renowned hospital systems was considering a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant to increase reliability and safeguard against rising electric costs. 5 was hired to conduct a feasibility study to determine the economic viability of a co-generation system for the hospital’s main facility. Hospitals and healthcare systems are often ideal candidates for CHP systems because of their continued demand for both heat and electricity.

A large data center purchased and renovated a building. They planned on expanding the facility in the future and asked the utility to provide an electric service capable of supplying 6 MW. The utility ruled that the electric service request was “excess” since the facility’s current requirements were less than 2 MW. The cost of the “excess” service would be almost $6 million. The utility suggested that the customer should apply for a special rate that would allow them to pay the additional costs over time. The customer was unaware that the total cost over the 20-year life cycle would exceed $20 million. Also, the utility did not bill the customer correctly and delayed the billing for two years.