2024 was a banner year for the Ameren Multifamily Program and Keith Reeder, who was selected as the Energy Auditor of the Year by his CMC peers.
Reeder, who has been with CMC since August 2022, was a unanimous choice for the award (except for his own vote).

“Keith is an outstanding worker, very efficient, strives for his best at every installation, great at inventory, and always there to answer questions if anyone has any,” noted one nomination.
“Keith is always willing to go up and beyond for the team and for the property,” a second nomination said. “He takes all aspects of his job very seriously and continues to excel. There is no task that has been given to him that he does not do all he can do to complete it as scheduled and correct the first time.
That description could also be applied to the entire Ameren Multifamily team,” said Ron Siddle, program manager, who has worked on the Ameren program for 16 years.
“I think the team has done, since the beginning, an incredible job,” said Siddle, who noted the team had only four members when CMC was awarded the contract in 2018. Now, the team is 11 strong. “This team goes above and beyond expectations to help the portfolio meet its overall goal. You couldn’t ask for a better team. We’re quiet, but we get results.”
For example, Siddle noted that last year CMC provided energy efficiency upgrades and savings for more than 600 multifamily buildings with more than 5,000 housing units. As part of their work, the team installed more than 3,800 smart thermostats, more than 5,800 thermostatic shut-off valve (TSV) shower heads (which helps save water and energy by pausing water flow until hot water is available) and more than 42,000 LED bulbs. Additionally, the team oversees the Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) program, which serviced 903 units in 2024. Those efforts led to savings of more than 15 million KwH and 82,000 therms.
One recent example of Ameren/Leidos’s belief in CMC was a request to help them use up some of their remaining budget for 2024, which led to the distribution of 4,000 air purifiers in a week in December.

“We’re really adaptable and adept on our feet,” Siddle said. “We’re always there to help Ameren/Leidos.”
That ability has led Ameren/Leidos to lean on CMC. Last year, CMC supported a window-insert pilot, which adds another level of air barrier, that started with a 12-unit and a four-unit building. Now, it’s an approved measure and CMC has a 300-window order in the works.
“I was surprised by how well the window inserts performed,” Siddle said. “We couldn’t do a building-wide blower door test on the 12-unit building. So, we tested individual units and got a 14 percent energy use reduction. For the four-unit building, we did the whole building blower door test and got an 18 percent reduction. That sold it to Ameren.”

This year, Siddle and the team are embarking on a pilot project to test Gradient heat pumps on multifamily homes. The heat pumps are similar in design to a window air conditioner unit but provide heat and cooling. They’re also easier to install than a traditional heat pump.
“I’m really excited about this pilot,” Siddle said. ” I’ve been watching how the units have performed in New York for more than a year. And, the heat pumps are expected to get their Energy Star rating by February”
The Ameren team consists of Siddle, Joel Cothern, Kate DonCarlos, Jeff Eccles, DeMarr Green, Chris Harris, Hilario Hernandez, Reeder, Micaela Solomon, Angie Stewart and Rob Tortat.
“All of our success with Ameren/Leidos is a direct reflection of this team’s efforts,” Siddle concluded. “I give them all the credit. This a great group of people.”