Iowan Wins National Energy Leadership Award

July 2001

John Root, energy services advisor at Muscatine Power and Water (MP&W) and local coordinator for his community's Rebuild Iowa program, was honored with the Rebuild America Partnership Leader of the Year Award at a national forum in Atlanta, Ga., on March 14. U.S. DOE Deputy Assistant Secretary Mark Ginsberg presented Root with the award for his work to improve his community through the Energize Muscatine initiative.

Root launched Energize Muscatine in the fall of 1999 through Rebuild Iowa, a program coordinated by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) with support from U.S. DOE's Rebuild America. Root has raised community awareness about the benefits of adopting energy-efficiency measures and as a result, Muscatine building owners implemented energy-saving measures in 25 facilities, representing nearly 750,000 square feet during the program's first year. These improvements save $32,000 and avoid the emission of 12 tons of sulfur oxides and 456 tons of carbon dioxide annually.