2011 Star of Energy Efficiency Award Winners
The Alliance to Save Energy would like to congratulate the winners of the 2011 Stars of Energy Efficiency Awards in the following categories:
Briggs & Stratton Corporation, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is the world’s largest producer of gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment. Briggs & Stratton products are designed, manufactured, marketed and serviced in over 100 countries on six continents.
Briggs & Stratton has committed to reducing its energy intensity by 25% in 10 years through several sustainable initiatives. In the last four years, it has reduced overall energy consumption by 37 million kilowatt-hours. So far these reductions stem primarily from lighting retrofits, improvements and upgrades to energy-intensive compressed air systems, and optimization of boiler and furnace operations, however Briggs & Stratton has also begun regenerating power from R&D testing of its engines, aggressively upgrading its Milwaukee facility, and reducing exhaust emissions of its engines by at least another 35%.
Additionally, Briggs & Stratton has conducted energy awareness fairs educating employees, about energy efficiency, conservation, and sustainability.
See Briggs & Stratton’s full nomination, and the other Galaxy award contenders.
Super Nova: Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI)
The Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) is the trade association representing manufacturers of air conditioning, heating and commercial refrigeration equipment.
AHRI members and staff spearheaded negotiations with energy efficiency advocacy groups to develop a regional efficiency standard consensus agreement that would raise the federal minimum efficiency standards for residential furnaces, heat pumps, and central air conditioners based on regional climate needs. The agreement also contains an important provision that would provide states the option of adopting building codes for new construction with more stringent energy efficiency levels than existing laws provide.
All parties to these agreements have worked diligently to ensure their enactment. While the agreements are still being considered by Congress, the Department of Energy adopted in total the furnace, heat pump, and central air conditioner standards contained in the agreement in its June Direct Final Rule. Only Congress can enact the proposed building code revisions, and all parties continue to advocate for that.
In addition to that agreement, AHRI and ACEEE concluded agreements that would establish a new federal minimum standard for heat pump pool heaters, revise standards for service-over-the-counter commercial refrigerators, and require the Department of Energy to conduct rulemaking to determine if a change is necessary for its water heater test procedure.
When fully implemented, the historic agreements will save approximately 3.7 quadrillion Btu of energy nationwide, will result in annual greenhouse gas emission reductions of 23 million metric tons as a result of a reduced need for power, and will save consumers about $13 billion in today’s dollars between 2013 and 2030.
See AHRI’s full nomination, and the other Super Nova award contenders.
Andromeda: Solutions for Energy Efficient Logistics (SEEL)
Solutions for Energy Efficient Logistics (SEEL) is a minority-owned business enterprise with automotive and energy efficiency ties. SEEL was launched as a partnership between Motor City International, an automotive logistics company, and Ecos, an energy management firm that serves utilities. This partnership combines logistics expertise with energy efficiency and program expertise.
In July of 2009, SEEL was hired as a third-party program implementer for DTE Energy’s Multi-Family program for both electric and natural gas customers. Installation crews visit multi-family and commercial properties to install energy efficiency in common and tenant areas. To date, the program has served more than 550 properties, delivering 30,349 MWh and 87,410 MCF of energy savings.
A year later, DTE Energy approached SEEL with an innovative and ambitious pilot program: Neighborhood Energy Savings Outreach (NESO). The NESO program would target those customer areas that had lower program participation levels and a history of low customer satisfaction ratings. SEEL’s proposal for delivery concentrated on a robust community outreach effort and highly trained installation crews on the ground to directly interact with lower-middle income neighborhoods. SEEL had a small but ambitious staff of outreach coordinators and canvassers that reached out to homeowners to encourage them to schedule installations of energy-savings measures. Since July 2009, SEEL on behalf of DTE Energy has touched 16,513 properties and delivered 45,337 MWh and 177,862 MCF of energy savings, equal to 40,221 MTCO2 emissions. Additionally, SEEL has hired and trained a workforce of 75 full-time staff and SEEL’s client, DTE Energy is also earning higher customer satisfaction rankings in areas where SEEL’s programs are targeted.
See SEEL’s full nomination, and the other Andromeda award contenders.
I-Star: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland launched The Home Energy Saving scheme for home owners wishing to make their homes more energy efficient.
With a pilot program in 2008 and national launch in 2009, HES and its sister programs have supported the upgrade of 100,000 homes in the past two years, representing more than 6% of Ireland’s housing stock. The 40,000 upgrades generate lifetime energy savings of €300 million; and typically, every home upgrade abates about 2 tonnes of CO2 per annum. Also, the project investment supports 4000 full time jobs. Additionally, a recent survey of scheme participants (over 9000 responses) indicated that 98.5% of participants would recommend the scheme to others.
See Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s full nomination, and the other I-Star award contenders.
ThinkEco, Inc. is an emerging company providing technology to transform the plug-load energy sector through its flagship product, the modlet. The modlet (short for “modern outlet”) is an easy-to-use, cost-effective, simple plug-in device with an immediate energy and financial impact for businesses and consumers. As the first intelligent outlet, the modlet automatically eliminates plug-load waste energy and communicates energy use in real-time to a user-friendly computer interface.
The result is an estimated savings of 252 kWh ($40) per socket per year. With the U.S. spending an estimated $10 billion (100 billion kWh) annually on wasted energy from appliances not in use, there is great potential for the modlet to improve energy efficiency while cutting costs.
The company has been awarded “Best in Show” at the 2010 Consumer Electronic Association’s Line Show, and received three 2011 Consumer Electronics Show Design and Engineering Innovative Showcase Honoree awards.
See ThinkEco’s full nomination, and the other Innovative award contenders.
Charles H. Percy: Daniel Yergin
Daniel Yergin has long been recognized among our country’s most respected leaders on energy, advocating energy efficiency as a central element for the energy future of our world. He worked with Senator Percy in the first years of the Alliance to Save Energy and was instrumental in framing and explaining the necessity and logic of energy efficiency during the debate over two historic and landmark pieces of energy efficiency legislation.
Dr. Yergin is a distinguished author. He received a Pulitzer Prize for his book on oil, The Prize, which was also a number one best seller and was made into an eight-hour PBS series. His new book, The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World, will be published on September 20, just before the ASE dinner. The Quest concludes with a very strong emphasis on the role of efficiency as our most important near and medium term new energy resource.
Dr. Yergin is the only person to be a member of the Secretary of Energy’s Advisory board in all of the last three Administrations. He founded IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates, arguably the most influential energy consulting and advisory firm in the world. Additionally, Dan serves as CNBC’s Global Energy Expert. He also received two prestigious government awards for his commitment and advocacy to EE, the U.S. Energy Award and Medal of the President of the Republic of Italy.
See Daniel Yergin’s full nomination, and the other Charles. H. Percy award contenders.
Chairman's Award: Hon. Jackalyne Pfannenstiel
Throughout her entire professional career, Jackalyne Pfannenstiel has consistently supported energy efficiency and brought the issue to light and action.
Ms. Pfannenstiel was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Energy, Installations and Environment) on March 5, 2010. In this position, Ms. Pfannenstiel is responsible for effective management of Navy and Marine Corps real property, housing, and other facilities; environmental, natural, cultural and marine resource protection, planning, conservation and compliance, both ashore and afloat; safety and occupational health for both military and civilian personnel; timely completion of closures and realignments of installations under base closure laws; the U.S. – Japan agreement to realign U.S. forces in Japan and relocate 8000 Marines and their families from Okinawa to Guam; and the development of the department’s energy strategy, policies and guidance.
In detail, Ms. Pfannenstiel oversees the aggressive goals for energy efficiency and use of alternative energy put in place by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. This includes incorporating advanced technology for net zero energy installations, as well as conducting a Preferred Suppliers Pilot Program to incentivize energy efficiency for contractors; expanding maritime energy efficiency incentives to aviation squadrons as well as conducting extensive efficiency outreach programs, awards and recognition for all areas of Department operations; and working with the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Lab on biofuels for tactical assets, and conducting working groups to further acquisition reform, smart grid and other advanced energy topics.
For more information on the 2011 Stars of Energy Efficiency Awards Dinner, please visit our event page.
