NEW ORLEANS, La. - Dominick Aiello, West Caldwell, NJ, was presented the United States Department of Energy – Rebuild America Energy Champions - Local Government Partnership of the Year Award. The award was based on the Rebuild Bergen County – Energy Conservation Initiative and is one of the most prestigious awards a company can receive in the field of energy conservation.  

Rebuild Bergen County, through its Energy Conservation Initiative, is offering all municipalities, school districts, water/wastewater treatment plants and commercial/industrial businesses in the county free energy-use audits through its partner Metro Energy. Quentin Wiest, Bergen County Improvement Authority (BCIA) Executive Director, directs the initiative for Bergen County. The BCIA retained Metro Energy Solutions as the energy services company to implement the program with Dominick Aiello, Joe Santaiti and Pete Pirrello leading the effort. As a result of the initiative, energy-efficiency improvements have been made to two county buildings, two county special services facilities, a sewerage treatment plant, and projects for the City of Hackensack, the Borough of Glen Rock, Borough of Moonachie, Hackensack Board of Education, Englewood Cliffs Board of Education and Englewood Board of Education.  The Bergen County Improvement Authority provided financing for the projects, with labor and materials bid so that local contractors had the opportunity to perform the improvements.  The total energy savings of the projects is over $1.2 million per year.

"This is a win-win-win for all those that participate in the program," stated Mr. Aiello. "This is truly a community-based program where everyone can benefit. All participants can make improvements to the infrastructure of their buildings while lowering their energy and operating costs. In the public sector the lowering of facility costs helps reduce local taxes at the municipality, schools and county levels. In the private sector it helps attract businesses to Bergen County while retaining the businesses that are currently there now." 

About Rebuild America
Rebuild America is a network of more than 465 partnerships that are dedicated to saving energy, improving building performance, reducing air pollution and enhancing the quality of life through energy efficiency.  Created by the DOE in 1994, Rebuild America serves as a tool for community revitalization and job creation in many U.S. communities.