WASHINGTON - Energy professionals who have achieved international, national, regional, or local prominence in their fields were recognized with awards by the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) at the 32nd World Energy Engineering Congress held in Washington, D.C.

The Leadership In Federal Energy Management Award was presented to Richard D. Santangelo, who has been a champion in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) efforts to reduce energy consumption in 3,200 Public Housing Authorities (PHAs), representing 1.2 million unites of low-income housing. Annual energy performance contract savings rose from $19.6 million in 2002 to approximately $118 million in 2009, and energy investments increased from $170.5 million to $729 million.

The Corporate Energy Management Award went to Hei Hotels & Resorts, which has been aggressively investing in energy efficiency, with over $2 million invested in energy efficient lighting, which has yielded nearly $1 million per year in utility cost savings. The company has also equipped 93 percent of its rooms with energy management systems to control the HVAC.

The Energy Engineer of the Year Award was presented to Rob Keller, energy and engineering service director for JC Penny, who has been responsible for leading the nine-year-old Energy Department to success, including a 6 percent overall reduction in energy consumption by upgrading its EMS systems in over 800 stores. In progress is a new retail store funded with a $15 million grant by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Net-Zero Energy Commercial Building Initiative that will use 50 percent less energy.

The Energy Professional Development Award went to Paul M. Volkman, the energy and utilities program manager for the U.S. Army IMCOM, who is responsible for helping the Army save over $1 billion in energy costs over the past five years. He has assisted in hiring over 40 resource efficiency managers that collectively have helped save over $200 million and 6 billion MBtu.

The Energy Manager of the Year Award was presented to John Hester, manager of Turner Broadcasting’s (TBS Inc.) Utilities, who has been proactive about reducing energy consumption in the facilities under his responsibility, including the CNN Center in Atlanta, which has saved 26 percent of the energy it would have consumed if no action had been taken and is 22 percent more efficient than ASHRAE 90.1.

The National Energy Project of the Year Award went to the Energy Efficiency & Infrastructure Upgrade Project at California State University San Bernardino, which has reduced the campus’s annual energy costs by over $1.1 million by the addition of 350 kW of roof-mounted solar photovoltaic power, a chiller plant upgrade, and a 1 million gallon thermal energy storage tank.

The International Energy Project of the Year Award went to the Energy Savings Project, City of Toronto Arenas, which was implemented to reduce energy costs and deliver environmental benefits. Actual annual savings include 10,498,157 kWh and $749,787 in electricity, 894,595 m3and $372,910 in natural gas, 9,074 kW and $37,019 in kW demand, 19,215 kVa and $112,302 in kVa demand, totaling $1,272,019 utility units actual annual savings, and after one year of monitoring, has achieved 101 percent of the energy savings target.

The Renewable Energy Innovator of the Year Award was presented to John Masiello, who is the director of efficiency and innovative technology for Progress Energy Florida (PEF) and has been a leader in the renewable energy field for 28 years. Under his leadership, PEF has supported early education on renewables, including an energy efficiency themed theater production for elementary school students and a take-home “Home Energy Check for Kids.” He has also partnered with BP and Ford to build one of the first hydrogen-fueling stations in the U.S. and to pilot a small fleet of fuel-cell vehicles.

The Renewable Energy Project of the Year Award went to the City of Encinitas Civic Center Retrofit Project. Originally intended to replace a deteriorating 50,000-square-foot roof, it became an integrated energy improvement project backed by overwhelming city council support. Customer utility costs have been reduced by over 70 percent, electrical demand was reduced by 58 percent, and estimated energy cost savings of 52 percent are anticipated as a result of the project.

The Distinguished Service Award was presented to Dr. L. J. Grobler, who was AEE’s first international president, serving in 2008, and is the president of the South African Chapter of AEE. He is a professor of mechanical engineering at the School for Mechanical Engineering at the NorthWest University and is co-director of the company Energy Cybernetics CC, which specializes in delivering energy management and energy cost saving services to industry.

The Special Recognition Award went to Dr. Wayne Turner, professor emeritus of industrial engineering at Oklahoma State University, who is a founder of the Certified Energy Manager (CEM®) program, contributing extensively to the course and exam. AEE noted that he has been a mentor to many, and some of his former students include past and current AEE officers, instructors, and members. Turner is the editor of two journals and author of several books about energy engineering.

The Energy Executive of the Year Award was presented to Congressman Edward J. Markey, who chairs the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the Energy and Environment Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee. In 2008, Markey introduced the Investing in Climate Action and Protection Act (iCAP). He has long been active in energy and environmental issues.

For more information on the Association of Energy Engineers, visit www.aeecenter.org.

Publication date:11/16/2009