Bethlehem Lutheran in Cedar Falls needed to replace their poorly functioning 30-year old air source heat pump systems, and they wanted to do the right thing for the earth and for their budget. So when a parishioner died and left them a generous donation in their will, they decided to install ground source heat pumps to heat and cool their building. Bethlehem has six separate systems, covering the various parts of the building.
The new system cost them $99,000 after an $17,000 rebate from the utility. If they had replaced the old air source heat pump with a new one it would have cost them only about a third as much. That seemed like a lot, but after figuring in the rebate and cost of comparable quality replacement equipment, plus the projected savings, everyone went for the ground source heat pumps.
They expect to reach payback in about 10 years, and after that they will be saving on lower energy costs for the remainder of the 30 plus years the system is expected to last. Kevin Motsinger at Cedar Falls Utilities, who assisted with the installation estimates that Bethlehem may save as much as two-thirds of their heating costs.
Pastor Hedding is pleased with the arrangement, “There will be more money to spend on ministry instead of heating and cooling the building. Plus the building is more hospitable because the temperature is more comfortable.”
Geothermal has a 97% satisfaction rating, the highest of all HVAC systems. The outlet temperature at Bethlehem is 100 degrees, so there is no “cold blow” of the forced air over your skin feeling cool. Neither is there a “hot blast” like with a gas heating system. Just like in the story of Goldilocks, it’s not to hot, not too cold, but just right.
“This was a great choice for Bethlehem,” says David Easton, the head of the site development committee that did the research, “because it has always been an all electric building. We will experience even greater savings should the cost of electricity go up over time.”
Future plans include heating water with the geothermal system, which will be set up when Bethlehem needs a new water heater. They plan to add an on-demand heater as well, which will be an efficient way to heat lots of water for occasional big church dinners.
Bethlehem has measured the carbon
footprint of their building using the Cool Congregations carbon
calculator and will measure again at the end of the first year of
operation with the new system to see how much energy and carbon they
have saved. Check back in August 2010 to learn how much
money,
energy and carbon Bethlehem Lutheran has actually saved in their first
year.For more information on Bethlehem’s switchover, email David Easton at djeaston@cfu.net.
Left: David Easton shows off the two 5-ton heat pumps sitting back to back, providing 10 tons of heating and cooling for the sanctuary. He says, “The unit these replaced was a huge contraption, sitting near the center of our basement utility room. These two units consume about a fourth as much volume, and sit off to the side.”