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Energy Stewardship Guide for Congregations
This Guide has been prepared by the Energy Stewardship Task Force
of the National Council of Churches to help congregations of any
faith use less energy in their facilities for worship, fellowship
and education. It can also help other faith-based institutions reduce
their energy use and costs. The Guide suggests some basic steps
to conserve energy that do not require any special knowledge or
significant expense. It describes the kind of assistance you can
expect to receive from a professional energy consultant. It suggests
a number of other avenues and resources for conserving energy. There
is also a list of professionals who have worked successfully with
congregations on energy stewardship projects.
WHY USE LESS ENERGY?
God has called people of faith to help restore the integrity of
creation. Every time you switch on a light, a computer, or an air
conditioner, you use electricity. Even when you are not using electricity
directly, the building you are in is apt to be using energy. Our
society's use of energy is causing many problems for human beings
and the non-human aspects of creation. Among the most serious problems
are changes in the earth's climate due to burning fossil fuels in
electric plants, buildings, and vehicles.
As God's people, we have a special responsibility to participate
in God's healing of creation by using less energy in the places
we dedicate to worship and service. Using less energy also saves
money, which is why many businesses and corporations have invested
in energy efficiency and conservation. Religious institutions should
consider this too, both to protect God's earth, and so money spent
now on energy can be used for God's service.
Finding the time and resources to take responsible action toward
restoring the integrity of creation is always a challenge. Some
of the measures discussed here are relatively simple. Others require
careful investigation to decide if they are appropriate, and careful
planning to undertake them. Energy stewardship is a continuing responsibility.
By taking one step at a time and being persistent, the benefit to
your congregation from knowing you are acting as good stewards of
God's creation by using less energy will be significant.
Energy stewardship is especially important if your congregation
is planning a renovation, addition, or new building. Any project
of this kind involves a major investment in design and equipment
which can be expected to last for many years. We now know that energy
costs will rise and energy conservation will become increasingly
important in the foreseeable future. Thus good stewardship requires
that energy conservation be a primary objective as you select an
architect and begin to consider your options and opportunities.
HOW TO GET STARTED
Appoint a team of three to seven people to lead your congregation
in making a commitment to good energy stewardship. An effective
team may include members of the building committee, the finance
committee, the social ministry committee, the religious education
committee, a pastor, custodian, and other volunteers.
The team needs individuals who are mechanically inclined, who are
familiar with accounting and church finances, and who are detail-oriented.
The team also needs individuals who are open to change and excited
by possibilities, and those who can inspire, teach, and motivate
others. These qualities are not all apt to be found in the same
person. In most successful projects, one highly committed member
of the team accepts primary responsibility for leadership.
Your congregation may have members already knowledgeable about
energy conservation and efficiency through their professional or
personal interests. Those who work in building construction and
related fields can be especially helpful if they are attuned to
these issues and familiar with relevant technologies.
The team should meet regularly to set goals, assign responsibilities,
and monitor progress. Its plans may include ways of educating and
involving the congregation, including its youth and children. Energy
stewardship involves people more than buildings. It relates to everything
we do, and to our children's future.
If energy stewardship is a new idea for your congregation, there
are a number of basic steps to consider immediately. Once you have
attended to these, the next step is to have a professional energy
audit of your building(s), and to develop plans based on the energy
consultant's report.
If a major building project is being planned, the team should inform
itself about options to consider in new construction and report
to the building committee before prospective architects are interviewed.
BASIC STEPS TO REDUCE ENERGY USE
These involve attending to aspects of your building's lighting,
heating and cooling, water heating, and refrigeration that do not
require special knowledge, technical expertise, or significant expense.
Find Out How Much You Use
Many congregations pay little attention to how much electricity,
gas, fuel oil, and water is actually used, even though the utility
bills provide this information every month. Keeping track of how
much you use on a regular basis is one of the best ways to educate
members of the congregation about the problem and motivate them
to do something about it. It's the only way to know if your energy
stewardship projects are succeeding.
Lighting
Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. They
last at least 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs and use 1/4
the energy. Newer models are less expensive and easier to use than
the earlier ones. The more a light is used, the more important it
is to switch from an incandescent to a fluorescent bulb. Replace
incandescent bulbs in exit signs with light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
Because these signs run continuously (8,760 hrs./yr.), this is one
of the most effective ways to cut energy use and costs. Use only
what you need. Educate congregation members to turn off lights when
they leave rooms. Make use of daylight whenever possible.
Sell compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) as a fundraising project
for your youth, service, or mission group. The Church of the Brethren
sells CFLs in bulk at a discount, with promotional materials, for
resale as a fundraiser. For information about the project call the
Church of the Brethren at 800/323-8039 or visit http://www.brethren.org/genbd/BP/CFL/index.htm.
Heating and Cooling
Have a specialist inspect and maintain your system annually. Be
sure to change or clean the filters twice a year. Set back the heat
and turn off air conditioning when space isn't used. Contrary to
some myths, it's the easiest way to save energy and money. Seven-day,
programmable thermostats work well and are simple to use. In winter,
set the thermostat to 55 degrees F whenever space isn't used, or
as low as possible without risk of freezing any pipes.
Will lower temperatures in the sanctuary damage the organ? The
Master Organ Builders in Britain and Associated Pipe Organ Builders
of America say temperature as low as 45 degrees F will not cause
damage. At lower temperatures relative humidity is higher, so there
is actually less risk of damage due to prolonged periods of very
low humidity. The temperature around the pipes must be raised to
the level at which the organ was tuned in order for it to play in
tune.
Caulk and weather-strip around doors and windows, where service
lines enter the building, and in gaps between wood and masonry in
the basement and around a chimney. A 1/8-inch crack running 4 feet
along the bottom of a door is comparable to a four square inch hole
in your wall. If you feel drafts around doors and windows, look
for places where heated air is escaping, like open chimneys, hatchways
to crawl spaces, or ventilation systems that work well in the summer
but should be closed in the winter. Close curtains at night in the
winter and during the day in the summer to keep heat where you want
it.
Hot Water
Turn the water heater down to 110-120 degrees. If you think health
regulations require higher temperatures, check again. It's more
common for regulations to require a setting no higher that 120 degrees
to prevent scalding, and most sanitizing dishwashers heat their
own water. Wrap your water heater with a three-inch insulation blanket
if it is more than five years old.
Refrigeration
Refrigerators are one of the most costly energy-users, and they
are more energy efficient full than empty. Try not to use more refrigerators
than are really needed, and be sure they are operating properly,
Make sure there is adequate clearance - one inch on each side and
three inches in the back. The door gaskets need to be in good condition.
Replace them if a dollar bill easily slips out of the closed door.
Consider unplugging electric drinking fountains. In temperate climates,
water from pipes running under ground will about 60 degrees which
should be sufficiently cool. Disconnect the ballast to the lights
inside soda machines.
Encourage members of the congregation to help reduce energy use
by publicizing your goals, reporting on progress, and displaying
your electric and fuel invoices where all can see them.
THE NEXT STEP
Have an energy audit by a professional energy consultant. An energy
audit of your building(s) will assess the condition of the building's
tightness, and the functioning of its heating, cooling and electrical
systems, and major equipment. There are a number of nonprofit organizations
and for-profit companies that provide energy consulting to congregations.
You should also contact the US EPA Energy Star Congregations program
at 888/STAR-YES, or http://www.epa.gov/congregations.
They will send you their Congregations Guidebook on Energy Efficiency
at no cost, and can give you a list of Energy Service Companies,
called ESCOs, that are Energy Star certified. In addition, you should
contact your local utility. They may offer or be able to direct
you to no cost or low cost energy audit services.
Recommendations based on an audit may include:
ways to purchase electricity or fuel at a lower cost;
installing new controls for lights, heating and air conditioning,
or other equipment;
converting fluorescent light fixtures from larger T-12 tubes (12/8"
diameter) with magnetic ballasts to smaller
T-8 tubes with electronic ballasts;
reconfiguring the heating and/or cooling system to improve efficiency;
replacing existing equipment or appliances with more efficient ones;
adding insulation or modifying windows to reduce heat transfer.
An energy audit is a significant undertaking for which the congregation
should expect to pay. While the fee may seem high, almost every
congregation finds that an audit quickly pays for itself in reduced
energy costs. Some energy consultants may offer to do a "walk-through"
inspection in order to estimate or determine the cost of a more
thorough audit. The report from an energy audit will serve as a
basis for developing a plan to invest over time in energy conservation
and efficiency. Your energy consultant may be able to help arrange
financing for energy conservation projects, or know of a contractor
who is willing to be paid through savings in energy costs. Many
denominations have funds to assist congregations with facility improvements
through grants or loans. This may include the cost of an audit and
investments in energy efficiency and conservation. In addition,
many communities have programs to assist nonprofit organizations
with energy upgrades.
OTHER PATHS TOWARD GOOD ENERGY STEWARDSHIP
When replacing an appliance or other equipment, be sure to buy
an energy efficient model and recycle the old one. This is especially
important for a refrigerator, hot water heater, heating and cooling
equipment, computer or copier. To get reliable information on energy
efficiency before making a purchase, look for Energy Star labels,
which were developed by the EPA to identify more efficient models.
Talk with a plumber about replacing standard toilets with low flush
toilets. Although water consumption may seem unrelated to energy
use, a lot of energy is required to pump, purify and deliver water
and then to treat it after it is used, and good stewardship of water
resources is also important in and of itself.
Educate members of the congregation about ways to use less energy
at home and why using less energy is important. The congregation
is apt to use much more energy in its households than in its place
of worship. If the basic steps described here are taken in homes,
it would have an even greater effect on reducing energy use. Help
people of all ages understand the effects on the environment of
producing and using energy, and they will see why conserving energy
is so important.
Initiate action to reduce energy use in your denomination's institutions.
Denominational offices, schools, hospitals, retirement communities
and nursing homes use much more energy than most houses of worship
because they are larger and used intensively for longer periods
of time. Members of your congregation may have influential relationships
with some of these institutions. They could inform the institution's
governing board or building administrator about the Energy Stewardship
Guide and promote its use.
Buy a renewable electricity product, block, or certificate when
it becomes available. Renewable electricity comes from solar, wind,
lower impact hydro, or biomass generating facilities. In states
where customers can choose their electric supply company, buying
a renewable product means that electricity is delivered to the regional
distribution system based on the amount you use. Buying a block
or certificate insures that a specified amount of electricity from
renewable sources will be delivered to the distribution system.
The nonprofit Center for Resource Solutions has developed a Green-e
label based on standards developed for local markets with representatives
of electric supply companies, government, and consumer and environmental
NGOs. The Green-e label assures that you are directly or indirectly
promoting investment in new renewable electric generating capacity.
At this time renewable electricity costs more than conventional
electricity to produce, so it is apt to cost somewhat more to buy.
Most congregations can easily offset the additional cost by taking
some of the basic steps to reduce energy use described in this Guide.
But remember, the cleanest energy in the energy we don't use.
Printed copies of this Energy Stewardship Guide are available
from Church World Service by calling 800/762-0968 and asking for
EJ 9960. The cost is $2 each.
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