AEE Recognizes Excellence in Energy with 2024 International Awards

The Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) proudly announces the winners of its prestigious 2024 International Awards, honoring outstanding contributions in the field of energy. These awards celebrate individuals, organizations, agencies, and corporations who are leading the way in innovation and excellence.

The 2024 International Awards will be presented on Wednesday, September 25th at the International Awards Banquet, held in conjunction with the AEE World Energy Conference & Expo, held in Nashville, TN.

Congratulations to the individuals, projects, and companies on their remarkable achievements and dedication to advancing energy efficiency and sustainability.

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Energy Engineer of the Year
Tristan Schwartzman

Tristan Schwartzman is a leading designer and champion of energy-efficiency innovations in Greater New York City, where he is setting a global pace and creating models of innovation for the world. Under Tristan’s direction, Goldman Copeland’s Energy Services Department has completed energy audits and retro-commissioning projects for over 70 million square feet of commercial and institutional properties in the tri-state area. Through these projects, Tristan has optimized energy systems for many of the metropolitan region’s largest commercial and institutional property owners. He serves on the Energy Committee of the American Council of Engineering Companies and advises the New York Energy Consumers Council on energy and sustainability issues. Tristan is a past regional AEE Energy Engineer of the Year recipient.

Tristan’s innovative work through partnerships with both the public and private sectors has created models for the world. Tristan has partnered with both the State and the City of New York to design and implement programs to reduce energy consumption and now leads a project that incorporates best practices into the design and implementation of an initiative to advance the electrification of ventilation air supply for large, multi-family, residential buildings. Tristan has partnered with the private sector in New Jersey to implement energy-reduction initiatives that address the energy challenges and needs of healthcare facilities and institutions of higher education. Tristan has also been central to both the creation and the replication of the first online Geothermal Ground Source Screening Tool in the nation, which enables users to assess the feasibility of geothermal heating and cooling of a specified area, a landmark development for energy efficiency in the United States, with the potential to offer models for expanded use worldwide. Under Tristan’s leadership of its Energy Services Department, Goldman Copeland has been recognized with the ACEC New York Platinum Award in the Environmental Category for the development of this tool.

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Corporate Energy Management
Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences is a research-based biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative medicines. Gilead operates in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California. The company is committed to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases. Energy assessments were completed at the 10 largest Gilead locations. These assessments involved corporate & site engineering and industry partners, and resulted in detailed analysis of system operation, and the generation of opportunities and strategy for implementation. Energy & water efficiency projects are identified through focusing on the areas of most significant energy/water use. Gilead has successfully developed and implemented a comprehensive program for continuous improvement in the areas of energy, water, & refrigerant management, emissions reduction and increased renewable energy. The program is heavily focused on operational improvements and employee engagement. Gilead is building success through the application of energy management principles, analysis of significant energy use, identification & development of optimal reduction projects, effective monitoring & measurement of performance, and prioritized capital investments to ensure maximum impact. Success has been built through governance, reporting, data and risk management. This success has been achieved through engaging staff at all levels of the organization.

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Institutional Energy Management
Fairfax County Public Schools

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) consistently stands as a paragon of excellence in energy management, epitomizing a multifaceted approach and an unwavering dedication to sustainability and energy conservation. Over a 26-year leadership in energy management, underscored by its enduring status as an ENERGY STAR partner since 1998, FCPS’s strategy embraces several key elements, including capital asset replacement, major maintenance investments, energy education, data analytics, and benchmarking with ENERGY STAR. With over $81 million in savings and a notable 20.8% reduction compared to the Baseline Adjusted to Current Conditions, FCPS exemplifies financial prudence and environmental responsibility. What truly distinguishes FCPS is its unwavering commitment to sustainability, actively contributing to a greener future. Notably, energy reductions surpass 3.4 billion kBtu, equivalent to over 255 thousand metric tons of CO2 emissions, further underlining FCPS’s impactful contributions.

FCPS’s energy management strategy is epitomized by the Capital Asset Replacement initiative, reflecting its commitment to technological advancement. FCPS systematically replaces or upgrades physical assets that have outlived their useful life or are uneconomical to repair. This proactive approach includes significant maintenance investments, focusing on optimizing asset performance and extending operational life. Beyond traditional efficiency upgrades, FCPS prioritizes educating facility users on the impact of their habits on energy conservation, embedding energy efficiency into the organizational culture. This approach ensures a lasting impact across the entire FCPS community. FCPS demonstrates forward-thinking technology adoption by investing in state-of-the-art equipment and infrastructure. This includes hybrid VRF heat recovery HVAC systems, ultra-high efficiency condensing water heaters, energy recovery ventilation, LED lighting, and advanced Building Automation Systems. Energy Education Specialists (EES) are crucial to FCPS’s strategy, focusing on behavioral practices that conserve energy. EESs ensure efficient management of public resources from economic and environmental perspectives, aiming to reduce energy consumption and costs without compromising health, safety, the learning environment, or productivity. Their role includes continuous professional development to stay at the forefront of energy conservation practices.

The Data Analytics initiative exemplifies FCPS’s data-driven approach, involving meticulous review of meter data for each school and center. This analysis provides insights into current energy usage and identifies opportunities for improvement. FCPS is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, implementing energy conservation measures, upgrading Building Automation Systems, and adopting the latest technology. FCPS’s comprehensive energy management approach encompasses technological innovation, ongoing education, data-driven decision-making, and a commitment to continuous improvement, highlighting its leadership and dedication to excellence in energy management.

Energy Manager of the Year
Kimberly Jarden

Kimberly Jarden, CEM, CWEP, CRM, Senior Global Energy Manager, leads Goodyear’s energy optimization strategy that encompasses the company’s 52 manufacturing facilities, translating into the management of more than 16 million megawatt hours of energy annually. Her work has been instrumental in helping Goodyear work towards its net-zero climate ambition, achieving a 22% reduction in GHG emissions since 2019. Under Kimberly’s direction, Goodyear’s energy management program is an aligned, global strategy focused on energy efficiency programs, renewable energy procurement and generation, including over 30MW of installed solar capacity, fuel switching, including biomass, and technology development, including the launch of electric curing to replace steam in Goodyear’s operations. By 2040, Goodyear plans to transform its manufacturing operations and processes to all renewable energy to significantly reduce its carbon footprint, and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

As a part of the energy optimization program, Goodyear has implemented multiple levels of management within the organization. At the global level, strategy is defined, tools and resources are developed, and project support is provided. It is from the global lens that Jarden provides guidance to the company’s various regions and facilities on how to execute and implement the overall strategy. To ensure strategic alignment, Jarden has developed regional working groups with a multidisciplinary team that includes representatives from engineering, procurement, finance, and accounting. A cross-functional approach is critical as it encourages engagement, understanding and continued education and awareness for processes, challenges and new opportunities. Goodyear is making significant progress along its renewable energy journey, and none of its current and future achievements would be possible without the hard work, ingenuity, and insight that Jarden provides to the team. It is because of her passion to build a more sustainable and better future that Kimberly Jarden is an AEE award winner.

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Energy Professional Development
Mathieu Côte

Mathieu Côte serves as Executive Director of the Canadian Institute for Energy Training (CIET), an organization that is tha delivers energy management capability building across Canada and in many other parts of the world. Mathieu’s relentless pursuit of excellence in energy professional development, has established the Canadian Institute for Energy Training (CIET) as a recognized global leader in energy training, with close to 5,000 professionals having graduated AEE courses since 2012. CIET currently boast 9 staff and 34 active trainers across Canada, and consistently delivers training to more than 2,500 participants a year in both English and French. The core of CIET’s professional development efforts are the AEE Certification courses, which have brought in close to $4 million of course revenue for AEE. In 2022 to 2023 alone, CIET trained 431 professionals, placing them at the top of the AEE Training Partner “leaderboard”. CIET’s reach goes beyond AEE certification training, with the provision of many specific energy training modules that develop energy management capability in many regions across the world.

Mathieu has an enthusiastic and talented team which has allowed CIET to secure almost all major energy-training related government contracts in Canada over the past few years, which has resulted in Canada being positioned among the top countries in terms of CEMs per capita. Since 2012, training has also been delivered outside of Canada in 30 countries and 8 languages. By forging long-term partnerships with all major energy efficiency actors in Canada as well as internationally, Mathieu has been able to reinforce and secure the position, strength and reputation of AEE’s certification programs in multiple countries. His approach to business development has led to the creation of several unique partnerships, including partnerships with all Canadian AEE Chapters that include seed funding to charter Chapters, as well as support for hosting regional training and local events. Mathieu previously received the AEE 2023 Regional Award for Professional Development.

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Energy Project of the Year: U.S.
Mount Sinai Hospital RTEM

Mount Sinai Hospital installed the Aciex Real-Time Energy Management (RTEM) platform to effectively manage peak power demands through advanced feedback-control technology. This fail-safe system, equipped with intelligent state-of-the-art microelectronics, measures and regulates power demands in real time. By gradually adjusting power to individual loads such as air handling units (AHUs), fans, motors, and pumps, the platform avoids the harmful effects of on-off demand controllers and ensures that the facility’s aggregate power demand remains below the desired threshold based on live energy data and user priorities. It automatically monitors and controls loads without compromising building comfort. The system mitigates expensive demand peaks while maintaining operations, ensuring energy savings. The platform also includes a visualization graphics module for real-time tracking and archiving of demand and energy consumption. This feature helps detect and correct anomalies, contributing to significant energy savings and making real-time grid response a strategic tool for energy management.

Historically, Mount Sinai’s 2 million square foot facility managed peak loads manually through load shifting, but this approach was neither sustainable nor effective. The hospital sought a higher level of automation for peak load management and aimed to generate additional revenue by participating in Demand Response (DR) programs to offset high utility costs. Additionally, the hospital needed to comply with New York City’s Local Law 97 (LL97), which targets carbon footprint reduction. It integrates seamlessly with the Building Automation System (BAS), communicating via BACnet to manage demand reduction efficiently. The new RTEM platform allows savings of 1,098 kW per year, 2,155,525 kWh kW per year CO2 equivalent, 3,367,744 lbs. annually. The annual projected DR Revenue is $162,908 and the annually projected cost savings is $382,339. This project was recognized as the NY-AEE Chapter’s 2022 Energy Project of the Year award.

 

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Energy Project of the Year: International
Eaton Arecibo PR Solar + Storage + Microgrid
Accepted by Richard Gorzé, Senior Global Energy Manager

Eaton has successfully completed a pioneering clean energy project at its manufacturing facility in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. This first-of-its-kind microgrid significantly enhances reliable and sustainable energy at the facility and within the broader community. In collaboration with Enel North America, Eaton has established the largest clean energy microgrid in Puerto Rico, contributing over 9,000 megawatts of renewable power annually.

As a leader in intelligent power management, Eaton’s project at the Arecibo plant marks a substantial advancement in energy resilience and sustainability. The facility, known for producing circuit breakers used in residential, commercial, and industrial applications, will now operate with a 55% reduction in energy consumption and a yearly decrease in emissions by approximately 7,100 metric tons. The innovative microgrid system includes 5 megawatts (MWac) of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, around 1.1 MW of battery storage, and integrates existing onsite generators. This robust system is designed to withstand Category 5 hurricanes, ensuring resilience and continuous operation even during grid outages. Eaton’s Arecibo project not only reduces the facility’s carbon footprint but also strengthens the regional power grid, providing a model for future clean energy initiatives in Puerto Rico and beyond.

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Innovative Energy Project of the Year
Intelligent Carbon Leakage Surveillance (iCLS)

The intelligent Carbon Leakage Surveillance (iCLS) System at Saudi Aramco represents a significant advancement in environmental monitoring within the oil and gas sector, addressing the pressing need to reduce CO2 emissions and enhance sustainability practices.

This pioneering use of eddy covariance technology to directly measure gas transport between the surface and the atmosphere for carbon leakage surveillance sets a high benchmark for environmental monitoring in the industry. By utilizing high-frequency gas analyzers, 3D high-frequency anemometers, and BioMet sensors, the system provides accurate and real-time data on CO2 emissions. This innovative approach sets a new standard for monitoring carbon leakage in enhanced oil recovery operations, demonstrating a commitment to technological advancement in the energy industry. By effectively monitoring CO2 emissions in the area of interest, the system helps prevent carbon leakage and ensures the efficient storage of CO2 during enhanced oil recovery processes. This proactive approach to environmental monitoring aligns with global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. The iCLS System enhances operational efficiency by providing continuous monitoring of CO2 emissions in the monitored area. The system’s ability to detect and quantify CO2 leakage in real-time allows for prompt intervention and mitigation measures, reducing the risk of environmental harm and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

The successful deployment of the iCLS System, including the simulated CO2 release experiment, serves as a compelling proof of concept for the technology’s effectiveness. The experiment demonstrated the system’s capability to detect and respond to CO2 emissions, validating its reliability and accuracy in monitoring carbon leakage. This tangible evidence of the system’s performance showcases its potential for widespread adoption in similar energy projects, highlighting its value as an innovative solution for environmental monitoring and sustainability. The development and implementation of the iCLS System demonstrate leadership and commitment to driving innovation in the energy sector. The project’s success reflects the dedication to pushing the boundaries of traditional monitoring methods and embracing cutting-edge solutions to address environmental challenges. The iCLS System inspires further innovation and progress in the pursuit of a more sustainable energy future.

Energy Innovator of the Year
Duane Warren 

Duane Warren, CEM, CMVP, BCxP, PVMA, is the Engineering Director and Senior Energy Engineer at JLL in the Energy and Sustainability Services Group. He spearheads retro-commissioning projects nationwide, reviews related reports and calculations, and innovates new methods and procedures for engineering challenges globally. Duane also evaluates new products and services for JLL, having established a robust review system. His engineering philosophy is encapsulated in his saying, “Engineering is the Art of the Simplest Thing that Works Correctly.” Duane has performed innovative energy engineering in locations in the US, Canada, and Asia. In his career, his projects have saved enough energy to power the city of Austin, Texas – the 10th largest city in the US.

Duane holds a patent in Chiller Optimization and a trademark in Chilled Water System Optimization. He has presented seminars on this at several AEE conferences and has been published in the AEE newsletter. He has invented a new commissioning and testing procedure for electrical Harmonics testing and is developing fault detection and AI routines for Building Management Systems (BMS) and remote monitoring for mechanical, electrical, and irrigation systems. He has a wide base of engineering knowledge and uses these various threads to develop new and innovative solutions to problems. He believes, “Life is change. Dealing with it, learning from it, and growing with it is what keeps us focused and engaged. It makes us human.”

Duane’s notable projects include a regenerative cool gas defrost lab system reducing energy use by 30% at ALS Environmental Services in Edmonton, Alberta, an acetone recovery system reducing acetone loss by 1,800 tons annually, improving energy efficiency and emissions at Hoechst Celanese in Edmonton, a  make-up air unit reducing HVAC energy use by 18% at Labatt Brewries Canada, free cooling systems with 20% lower energy use for companies like Exodus Communications, Bank of America, and Dell, an automation system for a research lab improving energy efficiency and safety at Biomed Industries in San Jose, California, a chilled water system optimization reducing HVAC energy use by 35% at AMD Headquarters also in San Jose, an optimization system reducing HVAC energy use by 30% at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, chilled water system optimizations at University of Texas campuses and South Eastern Oklahoma State University reducing HVAC energy use by 28-32%, optimization system reducing HVAC energy use by 26% at the Venetian  Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, and an inspection and analysis of an electrical metering network to reduce energy use at Disneyland California.

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Young Energy Professional of the Year
Priya Raghuraman

Priya Raghuraman in a Systems Engineering Professional on the Protection and Automation Innovation team at Siemens Industry. Priya’s role involves research and publication in substation automation, IIoT, microgrid control, and digital substations. As a mentor and power system protection instructor for the MV Engineering team at Siemens Industry, she has successfully trained 17 engineers with a range of expertise levels, from fresh college graduates to senior professional engineers with over 25 years of industry experience. Priya is responsible for fostering relationships between Siemens Industry and Universities to mentor students for future workforce development as well as hands-on experience with capstone projects, smart grid laboratory development, and mentorship programs to encourage students to pursue a career in the electrical manufacturing industry. As an instructor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at NCSU, Priya taught a unique course on communication and SCADA in smart grids, guiding graduate students through software and hardware experiments essential for smart grid operations. These skills are deemed vital for the future workforce in the field of Smart Grids. Her contribution to the IEEE Standards Association with PSRC ensures that the standards, reports, and technical guides are up to date with the latest technological developments in the field of Power System Protection.

After earning her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in India, she earned a master’s in electrical Power Systems from North Carolina State University, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at NCSU, expected to be completed in 2025. As part of her Ph.D. research, she developed the Per-Phase Reactive Power (PRPC) strategy, which will allow renewable energy sources like PV and wind turbines to be connected to the Distribution System of the power grid during a fault. This strategy addresses the gap in the available technologies today, which are limited to renewable energy resources connected to the transmission system. Priya has received numerous accolades, including the Konstantin Lobodovski Scholarship by AEE and recognition as a Young Professional supporting a sustainable power grid in 2023. Priya also won the Graduate Student Award for humanitarian contributions to the community and NCSU.

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Young Energy Professional of the Year
Keith Katyora

Keith Katyora, CEM, Senior Transmission Grid Advisor and Technical Delivery Support at the USAID Southern Africa Energy Program (SAEP), has shown outstanding leadership in advancing sustainable energy solutions across Southern Africa. Keith has been pivotal in driving tangible impacts on carbon emissions reduction and energy resilience, specifically on healthcare electrification projects. With a strong technical background and a history of spearheading transformative projects in decarbonization, energy efficiency, and resilience, Keith has made significant contributions to the region’s energy sector. His achievements include unlocking transmission capacity, overseeing healthcare electrification initiatives, and pioneering net-zero strategies. Keith’s commitment to innovation, community engagement, and mentorship exemplifies his dedication to shaping a more sustainable future.

He has supported 17 health facilities across four provinces in South Africa through energy audits, positively impacting healthcare delivery for approximately 100,000 patients monthly. This work has been instrumental in unlocking more support to healthcare centres in the country that are currently being affected by the energy crisis. His commitment to decarbonization is evident through the development of net-zero strategies, leading to measurable reductions in carbon emissions for local and regional commercial and industrial clients. This has included design work on over 8GW of new-generation projects both locally and internationally. Keith has spearheaded several initiatives such as the Young in Energy Indaba via the Consulting Engineers of South, the Energy Industry Mentorship Program for University students, and Skhaftini Sessions. Keith’s accolades include being named the 2020/21 Young Engineer of the Year by the South Africa National Energy Association (SANEA) and 2023 Young Engineer of the Year (issued by the Engineering Council of South Africa, and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)), and 2023 Rising Star Awards Finalist (Category: Private and Public Sector) via TransUnion. Furthermore, his involvement in initiatives like the BRICS Youth in Energy and the SANEA Youth Task Team demonstrates his commitment to international collaboration and knowledge exchange in the energy sector.

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Young Energy Professional of the Year
Faisal Alkatheri

Mr. Faisal Alkatheri, CEM, CIEP, ISO 50001 Lead Auditor and has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, is an Energy Engineer at Saudi Aramco. He demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to his company, as well as to his country and the world. He is a hard-working, knowledgeable, and intelligent young professional who wants to exert his full talent in the field of energy efficiency. He has made significant efforts in the fields of energy conservation, energy performance, and advancing energy savings opportunities. He led the organization’s efforts to achieve realized energy savings of millions of MWh’s and identified new initiatives that will contribute to reducing reliance on conventional sources. Faisal excels in leading and executing comprehensive energy audits, having spearheaded over 70 audits rigorously adhering to ASHRAE Levels 1 and 2. Through these initiatives, he demonstrably identified and implemented impactful energy conservation measures, resulting in substantial cost savings for a prominent Saudi Arabian mega-project. His efforts led the organization to position its energy to be the best in its class at Saudi Aramco, Moreover, he was selected to be part of the International Renewable Energy Agency Spring 2022 Cohort of Student Leaders Program, which consisted of three months of training on renewable energy policies, technologies, and applications.

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About the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE)
The Association of Energy Engineers is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional society with over 17,000 members in more than 125 countries. AEE offers a variety of informational outreach programs including training, conferences, chapters, journals, and certification programs. The mission of AEE is to promote the scientific and educational interests of those engaged in the energy industry and to foster action for sustainable development.