The Aquatic and Fitness Center, which is managed by the Youth, Parks and Recreation Department, is a marquee building for the town. Over its 20-year life, the quality of the indoor environment deteriorated. Much of the facility’s HVAC system was nearing (or past) its useful life. In improving facilities such as this one, the town hoped it would not only provide better indoor environments for the community’s use, but also reduce utility costs. The town did not want to raise taxes for its citizens to pay for the improvements. Funding projects through energy savings via a performance contract was a budget-neutral solution. Before the contract was drafted, a thorough assessment of what improvements could be made and how much each would save was necessary. In February 2008, Town of Tonawanda lawmakers unanimously agreed to authorize an energy audit of 20 town facilities.