Honolulu, HI

July 9, 2026

As communities nationwide face increasing pressure on energy and water resources, NORESCO and the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) proudly announce results from a shared commitment to accessible, resilient, and sustainable public spaces.

Honolulu DPR manages nearly 400 parks and gardens across O‘ahu that serve residents and visitors year-round. Through an energy savings performance contract (ESPC), NORESCO upgraded infrastructure at 49 park and recreation sites, delivering measurable results in the project’s first contract year, including $3.5 million in verified savings, nearly 4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity conserved, and 210 million gallons of water saved.

“This partnership has truly led to some amazing achievements, and this award is a reflection of the hard work and tangible upgrades our parks and gardens have enjoyed through it,” said Laura H. Thielen, DPR Director. “While addressing deferred maintenance and making our parks more efficient are honorable goals, NORESCO and our team have kept the people and our natural environment as the top priorities throughout the effort. Some amazing examples of this are the improvements to the Ken Suenaga Pearl City District Park pool, which enabled it to reopen after being closed for nearly five years, and adjusting our LED lights at Sandy Beach Park to accommodate nesting sea turtles. Making our public facilities more available, minimizing our environmental impact, and staying transparent and flexible to community concerns have truly led to these commendable results.”

Central to the project were water infrastructure upgrades aimed at reducing waste at a time when water conservation is increasingly critical. NORESCO repaired major leaks at beach showers and installed modern showers. In addition, irrigation controllers now automatically adjust watering schedules based on real-time weather, soil conditions, slope, root depth, and plant species.

To address nationwide supply chain challenges, NORESCO modernized public pool operations by installing advanced pump systems and onsite chlorine generation equipment. Using salt and electricity, these systems produce and distribute chlorine in response to real-time water chemistry, reducing reliance on chemical deliveries and improving safety and reliability for maintenance staff and swimmers. NORESCO also coordinated with the city to support the reopening of Pearl City District Park pool following a nearly five-year closure.

Throughout construction, NORESCO and DPR prioritized transparent public communication. Residents and Neighborhood Boards received regular updates through O‘ahu’s civic engagement platform, supported by a public website featuring GIS maps that tracked progress across sites. This approach reflects NORESCO’s dedication to accountability and active community participation in public infrastructure projects.

“Our partnership with the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation is about more than just upgrading facilities, it’s about serving the people of O‘ahu and building a stronger community together,” said Troy Walters, President and CEO, NORESCO. “We are committed to making a positive impact and ensuring these improvements benefit residents and visitors for years to come. As cities and counties across the country face rising utility costs, this partnership demonstrates how performance-based solutions can reduce water waste, control costs, and reinvest savings into public spaces.” To learn more about the project and its ongoing impact, visit bit.ly/efficientparks.

About NORESCO

NORESCO helps customers modernize aging building systems and upgrade energy and water infrastructure to meet evolving demands. We implement innovative energy efficiency, distributed generation, energy storage, and renewable energy solutions that optimize the operational efficiency and improve resilience of buildings, campuses, military installations, and communities. To date, NORESCO has implemented solutions that provide more than $5 billion in guaranteed energy and operating cost savings at more than 10,000 facilities, while reducing customer CO2 emissions by more than 25 million metric tons, the equivalent of planting 1.4 million acres of forest. For more information, visit www.noresco.com.

About the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Parks and Recreation

The Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation keeps your City parks and gardens clean, green, and full of activity! Clean with hundreds of dedicated staff conducting routine and specialized maintenance to a variety of park amenities at 394 locations on nearly 5,000 acres around O‘ahu. Green with our certified arborists overseeing and growing our urban forest of over 100,000 trees, while planting future seeds in our community and botanical gardens. Full of activity through a diverse and engaging lineup of classes, permitted gatherings, and large, special events ranging from swimming lessons, to outdoor camping, and our seasonal day camp Summer Fun! From community pools to sandy beaches, playground fun to volunteers helping get it done, we serve tens of thousands of island residents and visitors each year to help add quality to life!