ABM Building Solutions Assists Southgate Community, MI Schools Reallocate Funds for Much-Needed Facilities Enhancements

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ABM (NYSE:ABM), a leading provider of integrated facility solutions, announced today its ABM Building Solutions division is partnering with Southgate Community, MI Schools to help implement district-wide facility improvements funded through cost savings as a result of ABM's Bundled Energy Solutions Program. The school district plans to reallocate $2.7 million in energy management savings to go towards critical asset modernization for eleven schools and buildings in the district.

ABM's Bundled Energy Solutions Program has been designed as a financial solution to meet clients' technical facility needs. ABM's goal is to drive costs out of clients' operating budgets in a manner that allows them to reallocate funding for other facility enhancements.

"ABM Building Solutions is proud to partner with Southgate Community Schools to not only make a difference in their district, but the community and city as well," said Bill Vaillancourt, General Manager of ABM Building Solutions in Detroit. "Improvements will be made to each school within the district to ensure they are all operating at optimal conditions, saving tax dollars, and providing highly efficient learning environments."

The improvement project, which began in April 2012 and is scheduled to conclude in February 2013, is entirely self-funded and does not require any additional tax burden on the Southgate community or future borrowing capacity of the district. The project will be implemented in three phases, with the first phase expected to be completed by September to coincide with the new school year. The wide range of upgrades will include new high efficiency boilers and lighting, weatherstripping and air-sealing the windows and doors, new demand controlled ventilation and retro-commissioning the HVAC systems.

"As a deficit school district, we look for the best ways to stay financially viable while trying to address the continuous needs of our district," explained Dan Phillips, Director of Business and Finance for Southgate Community Schools. "Some of the needs that had not received adequate attention were those of energy savings and capital outlay pertaining to district lighting, doors, windows, roofing, and most notably, HVAC. When ABM introduced the project to the district last fall, it seemed like an obvious ‘yes' for all of us. After speaking with other school districts that have utilized the services of ABM Building Solutions in the past, we began the process. We were all pleasantly surprised at the level of upgrades we could receive with a guaranteed savings from the reduction of our energy consumption."

During the second and third phase of the project, ABM Building Solutions will install a district-wide, web-based HVAC control system, allowing for better control of building temperatures and time schedules. The control system will also assist the district in detecting equipment problems and notifying appropriate staff in a timely manner. Several lighting upgrades will also be made; most notably, the lighting in the gymnasiums will be upgraded to high-efficiency, low maintenance T5HO fixtures, lamps and ballasts. In addition, a three-year energy and operational assurance program will be implemented to ensure Southgate Community Schools are achieving optimal savings.

Other highlights of the initiative include solutions for the district to eliminate the persistent water leakage at Gersich Middle School and Davidson Middle School as a ground water management system will be installed at Gersich, while Davidson's windows will be re-glazed.

"ABM's focus is on building value for our clients by reducing owning and operating costs while increasing the efficiency of their facilities," said President of ABM Building & Energy Solutions, Scott Giacobbe. "We developed a strategic plan to help the school district become more financially and operationally sustainable by minimizing life cycle costs and maximizing the life cycle of its assets. Additionally, Southgate Community Schools' improved learning environment will aid in fostering student success."

ABOUT ABM

ABM (NYSE:ABM) is a leading provider of integrated facility solutions. Thousands of commercial, industrial, government and retail clients outsource their non-core functions to ABM for consistent quality service that meets their specialized facility needs. ABM's comprehensive capabilities include expansive facility services, energy solutions, commercial cleaning, maintenance and repair, HVAC, electrical, landscaping, parking and security, provided through stand-alone or integrated solutions. With more than $4 billion in revenues and 100,000 employees deployed throughout the United States and various international locations, ABM delivers custom facility solutions to meet the unique client requirements of multiple industries —- ranging from healthcare, government and education to high-tech, aviation and manufacturing. ABM leverages its breadth of services, deep industry expertise and technology-enabled workforce to preserve and build value for clients' physical assets. ABM Industries Incorporated, which operates through its subsidiaries, was founded in 1909. For more information, visit www.abm.com.

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