HUD EMPLOYEE RECOGNIZED AS LEADER IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Richard Santangelo credited for promoting energy conservation in public housing across the U.S.

WASHINGTON - An employee of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is being recognized by the nation's energy engineers for aggressively encouraging communities to make public housing more energy efficient. The Association of Energy Engineers (AAE) will present Richard Santangelo its coveted Leadership in Federal Energy Management Award for spearheading HUD's efforts to reduce energy consumption in thousands of public housing units nationwide.

The award will be given this evening at the AEE Awards Banquet in conjunction with the World Energy Engineering Congress.

"We're thrilled that one from our own is being recognized by his peers as a leader in promoting and improving energy management in our nation's public housing stock," said Sandra Henriquez, HUD's Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing. "With Dick's help, public housing agencies all across our country are saving energy, cutting costs and improving the quality of life for millions of residents."

HUD's Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) office was recognized for promoting energy conservation in public housing and energy performance contracting. Since the launch of its energy conservation initiative in 2002, housing authorities have a combined guaranteed investment savings of $118 million annually. Over $729 million have been invested in energy projects through performance contracting.

As program manager for Public Housing Management and Energy Conservation, Santangelo received the award for his leadership of HUD's Public Housing Environmental and Conservation Clearinghouse program that encourages housing authorities to make energy efficiency improvements and reduce energy consumption. The program utilizes an innovative financing technique that uses cost savings from reduced energy consumption to repay the cost of installing energy - efficient utilities and appliances, including ENERGY STAR equipment. For every dollar invested, a housing authority is estimated to save two dollars in utility costs.

Housing authorities that employ this program undergo a comprehensive energy audit on its developments. These audits reveal how much the housing authority will save from making certain upgrades including compact fluorescent lighting, kitchen and bathroom appliances, heating and cooling systems, insulation, and weatherproofing.

HUD was awarded the Alliance to Save Energy - 2009 Galaxy Star Award of Energy Efficiency; and has received the Environmental Protection Agency 2009 Energy Star Award - Special Recognition; and the Department of Energy's 2008 Presidential Federal Energy Management Award.

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