Green Churches
Simple Steps Churches Can Take NOW to
Become More Energy Efficient
- Read your meter every day morning and evening to know how much you are using
- Click here to Learn how to read your meter
- Install occupancy sensors for lights
- Click here learn how to purchase and install the right sensors for your space
- Click here learn how to purchase and install the right sensors for your space
- Replace Incandescent Light Bulbs with Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFL's)
- Click here for step by step instructions for purchasing and installing CFL's
- Click here for step by step instructions for purchasing and installing CFL's
- Use LED lights in Exit signs
- Click here to find out what kind of sign is right for your congregation
- Click here to find out what kind of sign is right for your congregation
- Get an Energy Audit
- Click here to find best practices for getting an energy audit for your church!
- Click here to find best practices for getting an energy audit for your church!
More ideas for action:
- Weatherize the Church
- Insulate accessible attics, uninsulated /unfinished walls, basements and crawlspaces, hot water pipes and tanks
- Insulate accessible attics, uninsulated /unfinished walls, basements and crawlspaces, hot water pipes and tanks
- Heating and Cooling
- Control Direct Sunlight through Windows to reduce heating and cooling costs
- Install setback thermostats that automatically reduce heating and cooling when areas are unoccupied
- Reduce temperature of hot water. For normal hot water usage, hot water should be 54ºC (130ºF).
- Clean filters on furnaces and air conditioners and replace them when needed
- Turn off furnace or boilers that have a standing gas pilot in the spring when the heating season ends. Natural gas pilots use as much as $5 to $10 worth of gas a month.
- Turn off water heaters that aren’t used in the summer and drain the tank
- Lighting
- Reduce the operating time of your lights: Turn them off when not in use and utilize available natural lighting.
- Use Task lighting in church offices (lighting a desk rather than a whole room)
- Make sure the outdoor light timers are adjusted for daylight savings time
- Appliances
- Keep Refrigerators and freezers at their ideal temperature. The ideal temperature for refrigerators is 3ºC (37ºF). If the temperature is lower, turn it up. The ideal temperature for freezers is -18ºC (0ºF). If the temperature is lower, turn it up.
- Keep freezers full. It is easier to keep a full freezer at the correct temperature than a partially empty one. Ice cream pails full of water can be kept in a freezer that is usually less than half full.
- Unplug any electronic device that is not in use.
- Purchases
- Offset Carbon Emissions
- Purchase efficient replacements for all electronics, big or small
- Purchase Green Energy
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