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This page offers tips and resources for making worship facilities more
energy efficient. Our success stories page contains information about
what churches within the state of Iowa have done to improve their
facilities. For information on your improving your home, click here.
No matter how large or small your congregation’s budget is, you
can make significant gains in energy efficiency. The steps you take
will not only limit the global impact of your worship facility, it will
allow your congregation to spend more on other areas of mission and
relieve the financial burdens of future members. For only a few
dollars, you can swap out your old light bulbs for more energy
efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. Of course,
you may want to consider steps with larger upfront costs, such as solar
or geo-thermal. These options have high yield in the long-term, but are
clearly not feasible for every congregation. Regardless of your budget,
most agree that you should begin with the “low-hanging
fruit”—the things you can do right away that will start
saving you money. Then you can move on to more complex projects.
A good first step is contacting your energy provider.
Many congregations in the state of Iowa are eligible for free energy
audits from their chief heat provider. As a part of these audits, a
representative from the utility company comes to your place of worship
to assess areas of possible improvement. The audits often make your
congregation eligible for rebates on improvements such as new windows,
appliances, insulation, etc. In addition, most utilities will provide
free CFLs when they visit.
The detail of the information gained from the audit varies from
provider to provider. For this reason, you may want to consider
bringing in a private energy efficiency contractor to conduct an
additional audit or one with the utility company. Some congregations
have received these services for free from their provider. Professional
energy audits will be a full assessment of all the options available
for your place of worship and contain data on the initial cost of each
option and the length of time it will take for that cost to be recouped
in energy savings.
There are some excellent guides to help congregations in this process. Here are just a few:
“Putting Energy into Stewardship,” by the EPA
“Going Green: Promoting Sustainability Within Your Parish,” by Many Values-Many Voices (Vol. 2008 #1)
“Getting Started” by Web of Creation
“Creating a Green Sanctuary” by the Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth
Lighting
Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps
Convert exterior lighting to high-pressure sodium or metal halide lighting
Upgrade fluorescent fixtures with T-8 fluorescent lamps and electronic ballasts
Remove or disconnect unnecessary lights
Convert exit signs to LED
Lower light levels where appropriate, such as around computer monitors
Install occupancy sensors in areas, such as bathrooms, that are frequently unoccupied
Install timers or photocells on outside lights
Water Use And Water Heating
Install a water heater insulating blanket and wrap the first 3 to 6 feet of hot water supply pipe with pipe insulation
Install faucet aerators and efficient showerheads
Select native or other low-water plants for landscaping
Find and fix leaks
Refrigeration
Repair doors and seals so they close tightly
Make sure fans and equipment are not obstructed
Combine refrigerated goods and disconnect unneeded refrigerators
Building
Install weather stripping, caulking, or seals on openings that create drafts
Add or repair insulation to create a continuous blanket around building
Heating and Cooling Systems
Clean and replace filters regularly
Set back your heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning
(HVAC) systems when the building is unoccupied. This includes setting
the fans to “auto” rather than “on”
Repair leaks in system components such as pipes, steam traps, and couplings
Make sure radiators, convectors, air intakes, and air diffusers are not obstructed so that air can flow freely
Reduce your water heater settings to the minimum required temperature
Free
Turn down water heater thermostat to 120°F
Turn off lights when no one is present
Set thermostats to 68 to 70°F in winter when in use,
and down to 62°F when not in use. In the summer, set thermostats to
76 to 78°F when in use and 82°F when not in use (Programmable
thermostats do this automatically—see below)
Use energy-saving settings on appliances
Don’t waste water, hot or cold
Clean your refrigerator’s or freezer’s condenser coils once a year
Close heating vents in unused rooms
Repair leaky faucets and toilets (5 percent of water “use” is leakage)
Simple and Inexpensive
Install water-efficient faucet heads for your kitchen and bathroom sinks ($2 each)
Install programmable thermostats
Clean or change the air filter on your warm-air heating
system during winter and on air conditioning units in the summer
($2-$15)
Install an R-7 or R-11 water heater wrap ($12)
Insulate the first six feet of hot and inlet cold water pipes ($6)
Install a compact fluorescent light bulb in the fixture you use the most ($15)
Measures with 1 to 3 Year Payback
Get a comprehensive energy audit, including a blower door test, to identify sources of air infiltration.
Caulk and weatherize all leaks identified by the test.
Start with the basement first (especially around plumbing and
electrical penetrations, and around the framing that rests on the
foundation), then weatherize windows and doors.
Seal and insulate warm-air heating (or cooling) ducts
Have heating and cooling systems tuned up every year or two
Install additional faucet aerators and programmable thermostats
Replace failed appliances with Energy Star models at little incremental cost
High Investment, High Yield
Foundation:
insulate inside rim joist and down the foundation wall to below
frostline to R-10. Remember to caulk the rim joist and sill areas first.
Basement: insulate the ceiling above crawlspaces or
unheated basements to at least R-19 in cold climates. If your basement
is heated, insulate the inside of basement walls to R-10 . Basement or
foundation insulation is usually not needed in hot climates. You should
install a ground vapor retarder if none is present.
Walls: adding wall insulation is more difficult and
expensive, but may be cost-effective if your house is uncomfortable and
if you have empty wall cavities. Installing insulation at high density
will also greatly reduce air leakage.
Install more compact fluorescent bulbs. Put them in your
most frequently used fixtures, including those outdoors. (2 or more
hours of use per day)
Replace exterior incandescent lights with compact
fluorescents and put them on a timer or motion sensor if they’re
on more than a couple of hours a night.
Convert to solar water heating, and perhaps also supplementary solar space heating.
Upgrade your water heater, furnace, boiler, air
conditioners, and refrigerator to more efficient models (refer to
Energy Star). Newer units are far more efficient. Upgrading is often
cost-effective, and definitely so if you need to replace failing units
anyway. Also, if you’ve weatherized and insulated, you’ll
be able to downsize the heating and cooling system. If the house is
tight, use only seal combustion appliances. If the air handler will be
used for ventilation or even when the furnace run time will be long,
chose an ECM.
Replace high-flow toilets with modern water-efficient toilets that use 50–80 percent less water.
Install awnings or build removable trellises over windows that overheat your home in the summer.
Plant a tree to shade your largest west window in
summer. You won’t save any money for years, but you’ll get
an A+ for long-range vision.
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