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2010 Inspiring Efficiency Award Winners Announced

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CHICAGO, Nov. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) (mwalliance.org) today announced the winners of its 2010 Inspiring Efficiency Awards, the organization's 6th annual competition recognizing Midwest leaders who deliver groundbreaking advancements for energy efficiency through Leadership, Education, Impact, Innovation and Marketing.

The winners will be honored at the Inspiring Efficiency Awards Dinner and Gala on Thursday, January 14, 2010, during MEEA's Midwest Energy Solutions Conference ( www.meeaconference.org ), taking place January 13-15, 2010, at InterContinental Chicago, the first ENERGY STAR® certified hotel in Chicago. During the Dinner and Gala, a special award, the Inspiring Efficiency Chairman's Award, will be announced to honor exemplary leadership for energy efficiency in the Midwest and support of MEEA.

"Over the last few years, our region has exploded with investment in energy efficiency, bringing new, innovative programs and yielding significant impacts and savings," said Wendy Jaehn, Executive Director, Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. "These awards bring recognition to these advancements and demonstrate that the Midwest is a leader in energy efficiency."

2010 Inspiring Efficiency Awards Winners:

-- Janine Midgen-Ostrander, Ohio Consumers' Counsel - LEADERSHIP -- Tom Casten, Recycled Energy Development - LEADERSHIP -- Commonwealth Edison - EDUCATION -- Smart Energy Design Assistance Center - EDUCATION -- Interstate Power & Light Company, an Alliant Energy Company - IMPACT -- Ameren Illinois Utilities - INNOVATION -- Interstate Power & Light Company, an Alliant Energy Company - MARKETING

-- R.L Just & associates, p.c. Architect - MARKETING

Inspiring Efficiency LEADERSHIP Award

Recognizing organizations or individuals who have served as strong leaders in support of energy efficiency.

-- Consumer and Public Sector: Janine Migden-Ostrander, Ohio Consumers' Counsel

-- Commercial & Industrial Sector: Tom Casten, Recycled Energy Development

Consumer and Public Sector: Janine Migden-Ostrander, Ohio Consumers' Counsel

Janine Migden-Ostrander has successfully advocated for energy efficiency and demand response programs, codes and legislation in Ohio and throughout the Midwest. Her work and testimony was instrumental in ensuring that Senate Bill 221, Ohio's sweeping energy legislation, passed with energy efficiency benchmarks and accountability standards.

Migden-Ostrander demonstrated that consumer and environmental groups could work together, with the formation of the Ohio Consumer and Environmental Advocates (OCEA). She has also led the development of collaborative working groups for each electric and natural gas utility in Ohio to pursue a cooperative approach to energy efficiency. More information: Ryan Lippe at 614-466-7269 or lippe@occ.state.oh.us .

Commercial & Industrial Sector: Tom Casten, Recycled Energy Development (RED)

Tom Casten is regarded as the nation's leading figure on industrial energy recycling, a process that holds enormous potential for strengthening the economy while mitigating climate change. Studies demonstrate that there is enough recoverable waste energy to provide 40 percent of the U.S. electricity supply and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent - the equivalent of eliminating every passenger vehicle. RED, together with Denham Capital Management, has created a $1.5 billion portfolio to fund energy recycling projects.

Casten served on President Obama's energy advisory team during his 2008 campaign and has testified before the U.S. House and Senate. He was instrumental in writing and advancing the industrial energy efficiency provisions in virtually every major national energy or economic stimulus bill over the past several years. More information: Heather Shadur at 312-226-5100 or heather@shadur.com .

Inspiring Efficiency EDUCATION Award

Recognizing the development and implementation of a local campaign, program, strategy, or idea to increase knowledge and action on energy efficiency.

-- Residential: Commonwealth Edison (two programs)

-- Commercial/Municipal: Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC)

Residential: Commonwealth Edison and Chicago Urban League

First-of-its-kind program, integrating energy efficiency consumer education with first-time home buyer money management training. This partnership between ComEd, which provides electric service in Northern Illinois, and the Chicago Urban League, grew out of the Urban League's economic empowerment agenda called projectNEXT. ComEd designed an energy efficiency curriculum for the Urban League's First-Time Homebuyers program that provides information on commercial products, home improvements, and energy usage practices that can improve home energy efficiency and reduce monthly utility bills, including low and no-cost options. Program participants also learned how to apply for fuel assistance, weatherization services and free/discounted energy saving products.

Participants who successfully completed the class and purchased their first home were entered into the ComEd Energy Efficiency Home Makeover contest. Winners received free home energy efficiency makeovers courtesy of ComEd, which were documented and widely televised, further raising energy efficiency awareness and education. More information: Jennifer Davies at 630.437.2415 or jen.davies@comed.com .

Residential: Commonwealth Edison and U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR Change the World

An integrated local approach to implementing and enhancing a national energy efficiency campaign. ComEd's U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR Change the World Pledge is a national campaign from U.S. EPA to encourage Americans to take small, individual steps that collectively make a big difference in the fight against global warming.

ComEd participated as a pledge driver and developed an integrated approach to enhance the ENERGY STAR campaign and garner additional pledges. The campaign exceeded its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 19.5 million pounds by more than 400 percent. Some of the campaign approaches and tactics included customer and employee promotion and contests, events, ENERGY STAR lighting demonstrations, press releases, bill inserts and envelope/bill messaging, and newsletters. More information: Jana Jones at 630-576-6829 or Jana.Jones@ComEd.com .

Commercial/Municipal: Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC)

Proven program that assists commercial and municipal entities in identifying energy and money saving opportunities and minimizing environmental pollution. SEDAC provides fee-free design assistance to businesses and municipalities throughout Illinois and supports building design, materials selection and construction practices that foster energy efficiency. SEDAC offers education and training, support for building codes and standards, industry marketing and information dissemination.

More than 1,500 Illinois clients have received information and support from SEDAC. Of these, 450 have received quantitative energy saving project recommendations, representing about $19 million in annual energy savings. Net present value of all annual cost savings, without considering investment costs, based on 20 years at 7 percent, is more than $242 million. More information: Donald Fournier at 217-265-0681 or info@sedac.org

Inspiring Efficiency IMPACT Award

Recognizing significant contributions to market transformation that have reduced energy consumption and/or increased market penetration of energy efficient products.

Interstate Power & Light Company (IPL), an Alliant Energy Company

Bold steps turn disastrous flood into opportunities for rebuilding "green" with utility incentives. Interstate Power & Light Company (IPL), which supplies electric service in three Midwestern states, was at the epicenter when the Cedar River rose over 19 feet above flood stage, covering more than 10 square miles of Cedar Rapids, IA. The damage was catastrophic and thousands of Iowans faced the task of rebuilding their homes.

IPL recognized that homeowners were in a unique situation because of the flood requiring replacement of multiple appliances, systems and other pieces of equipment at one time. In response, the utility used this opportunity to encourage consumers to install more energy efficient products in their homes.

IPL launched a post-flood rebate program centered on helping its customers rebuild green at a time when the utility could reasonably be expected to focus primarily on its own infrastructure. In addition to saving energy and money, replacing equipment lost in the flood with more energy efficient equipment is the greenhouse gas reduction equivalent of taking more than 200 cars off the road for an entire year. More information: Michelle Scoville at 319-786-4863 or michellescoville@alliantenergy.com.

Inspiring Efficiency INNOVATION Award

Recognizing development and implementation of new and innovative programs, ideas or policy in the Midwest.

-- Residential and Commercial: Ameren Illinois Utilities

Ameren Illinois Utilities, which provide electric and natural gas service in downstate Illinois, launched its Act On Energy initiative, a suite of programs and resources designed to help business and residential customers use less energy and save money.

Residential: Ameren Illinois Utilities Watts Solution Program

Innovative partnership with library systems puts engaging energy monitoring kit in the hands of customers, free of charge. As part of its Act On Energy initiative, Ameren Illinois Utilities developed the Watts Solution Program, featuring its Watt Solutions kit. Each kit contains detailed information on reducing electric usage and a "Kill A Watt meter," which allows customers to plug in an appliance and learn the electrical usage and cost of operating it.

To help ensure free access for customers across its entire service territory, Ameren Illinois worked with five library systems covering all 85 counties in their service territory. These libraries lend out kits in the same manner as books and it is estimated that the kits will educate 16,755 households in 2009 and 26,000 households in 2010. More information: Natalie Hemmer at 309-677-5021 or nhemmer@ameren.com.

Commercial: Ameren Illinois Utilities LED Refrigerated Case Project

As part of its Act On Energy Business Program, which provides incentives for energy efficiency projects, Ameren Illinois Utilities partnered with grocery retailer Kroger on a promising application of Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting technology. After a successful pilot program, Kroger replaced the fluorescent lighting in its refrigerated cases with LEDs at all 30 of its stores in the Ameren Illinois service territory, and beyond. In addition to being more energy efficient, LEDs generate less heat, reducing cooling load. Store installations included motion detectors to further conserve energy.

The energy efficiency improvements will provide these Kroger stores with more than $200,000 in annual cost savings. Ameren Illinois provided financial incentives and technical support. More information: Cheryl Miller at 309-677-5244 or Cmiller3@ameren.com.

Inspiring Efficiency MARKETING Award

Recognizing organizations that have engaged in or supported a marketing campaign, program, strategy, or idea to increase the adoption of energy efficient products and/or best practices in the Midwest region.

-- Utility Customer: Interstate Power & Light Company, an Alliant Energy Company

-- Business Consumer: R.L. Just & associates, p.c. Architect

Utility Customer: Interstate Power & Light Company, an Alliant Energy Company

Showcase calendar generates strong interest in commercial/industrial energy efficiency. In 2008, Interstate Power & Light Company (IPL), which supplies electric service in three Midwestern states, helped customers save enough energy to power more than 7,400 homes a year. In 2009, IPL developed its first ever "Being Green" calendar for customers highlighting energy efficiency programs and best practices already in use throughout the utility service territory. Featured projects included insulating boilers, replacing inefficient dryers, retrofitting lighting, installing LED traffic signals, upgrading compressed air systems and incorporating energy efficiency into new construction.

The calendar, which was initially distributed to about 2,200 customers, has been reprinted twice to meet customer demand, and has generated inquiries about being featured in future editions, as well as interest in exploring energy efficiency programs. More information: Michelle Scoville at 319-786-4863 or michellescoville@alliantenergy.com.

Business Consumer: R.L. Just & associates, p.c. Architect

Regional, Web-based Green Building Guide unites green businesses, provides consumers with an important resource. R.L. Just & associates' architects and planners reached out to hundreds of green building professionals to create The St. Louis Green Building Guide. The goal was to increase awareness of sustainable and efficient building practices and provide a resource to consumers seeking to build green. The Guide was developed and publicized through mailings, networking and outreach to such organizations as the U.S. Green Building Council, the Home Builders Association and Habitat for Humanity. More information: Adam Schmitz at 636-530-7414 or adam@rljustarchitect.com.

About MEEA - The Source on Energy Efficiency

The Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance ( www.mwalliance.org ) is a collaborative network advancing energy efficiency in the Midwest to support sustainable economic development and environmental preservation.

MEEA promotes the market transformation of energy efficiency technologies, processes and best practices within a 13-state area, through policy advocacy, program design and facilitation and piloting of energy technologies. MEEA bridges the gap between policy adoption and program implementation.

SOURCE Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance

2009-11-10 14:19:00