Performance Contracting
For more than two decades, CMTA has served as Northern Kentucky University's trusted energy and engineering partner, supporting over five million square feet of campus infrastructure. What began as a traditional MEP consulting engagement grew into a substantial Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC), followed by additional performance-based design build projects. This pivotal transition stemmed from a comprehensive campus master plan conducted in 2019, during which CMTA audited every campus facility and recommended solutions for renewing NKU's aging infrastructure. All of CMTA’s subsequent work for the university has focused on sustainability, campus-wide planning, and performance-driven modernization.
Phase 1, completed in 2020, covered 700,000 square feet across eight buildings and was funded entirely through operational savings. The scope included LED lighting upgrades, HVAC and laboratory optimization, and new direct digital controls. The project delivered $776,160 in first-year verified savings, outperforming its guarantee. Building on that success, Phases 2 and 3 expanded the modernization effort across 187,516 square feet in Griffin Hall, Regents Hall, Steely Library, Student Union, and the Lucas Administration Building. These phases included HVAC system upgrades, LED lighting upgrades, plumbing renovations, new power systems, and refreshed architectural finishes.
To date, $17.4 million in task orders have been implemented or are currently under construction. The program has achieved 30 million kWh of electricity savings, 1.8 million therms of natural gas savings, and the conversion of more than 9,000 light fixtures to LED — all directly supporting NKU's goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Together, NKU and CMTA have built a scalable, repeatable model for campus sustainability and modernization—one that leverages multiphase energy solutions targeting the highest‑value MEP upgrades and advances the university’s long‑term infrastructure goals.
