The Twelve Priority Measures to Save Energy

For success in your efforts to conserve energy at your religious institution, your focus will need to span several areas: people; temperature; lighting; appliances; and water.

Here are the twelve priority measures to save energy recommended by GreenFaith:

People--Develop an institutional commitment to energy conservation.

• Governing board commitment
• In-house publicity
• Appoint and support an Energy Steward

Temperature--Install and/or Correctly Site Programmable Thermostats.

• Use 7-day programmable thermostats.
• Good models available for $70 and under.
• Site them in a location that enables representative measurement – e.g. not by a radiator.
• Cost: Depends on number of thermostats.
• Payback: 6 months or less, on average

Temperature--Increase Temperature Setbacks.

• In winter, the average house of worship overheats its space when not in use. Vice versa in summer.
• Increase temperature setbacks to as close to 45 degrees as possible (80 degrees in summer).
• Furnace/AC on farther in advance for comfort.
• According to organ manufacturers, lower temperature does not harm, may preserve organ. Organ should be tuned at the temperature at which it will be played.
• Be energy-smart in your space usage – small meetings in small rooms.
• Cost: $0. Payback: Usually large (3% of total energy costs or higher)

Temperature--Conduct Regular Boiler/Furnace Maintenance.

• Avoid annual service and maintenance contracts – pay for service to meet specifications.
• Interior heat exchange surfaces scale-free.
• Net stack Temperature between 300-400 degrees.
• Carbon dioxide content between 10-13%.
• Chimney suction: -0.02” to -0.03”
• If your institution has an annual service contract, there should be no additional charge for this.
• Cost: Depends on size of facility and equipment
• Payback: 8 months or less, on average

Temperature--Insulate and Weather-strip.

• Religious institutions often suffer from drafty windows/doors which can be weather-stripped.
• Indicators of drafty windows/doors: air-flow that can be felt, dust around door jams/window sills indicating air inflows/outflows.
• Cost: Depends on amount of weather-stripping
• Payback: 5 years, on average

Lighting--Replace Incandescent bulbs with CFL’s.

• Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFL’s) produce the same amount of light with ¼ of the energy.
• 15-watt CFL equivalent to 60-watt incandescent.
• CFL’s last 7-10 times longer.
• At 2006 energy prices, a 15-watt CFL will save over $20 in energy costs compared to 60-watt incandescents over its lifetime.
• Cost: Assume $3/bulb; possible to purchase on sale at lower cost
• Payback: 9 months, on average

Lighting--Retrofit Tubular Fluorescent Lights from T-12’s to T-8’s.

• New tubular fluorescent bulbs (T-8’s) are 20-25% more efficient than their predecessors (T-12’s).
• To reduce costs, tubes and ballasts can be replaced without replacing fixtures.
• New tubes should have a color rendering index of 85+ and a color temperature of 3500 Kelvin.
• New ballasts should be electronic.
• Payback: Rooms lit 15 hours/week or more will usually see a payback period of 3 years or less.
• Outdoor floodlighting presents excellent opportunities for savings.

Lighting--Retrofit/Replace Emergency Exit Signs with LED inserts.

• Older Emergency Exit signs use two 15-watt incandescents.
• Replacement inserts use a 2-watt LED.
• Cost: inserts cost approximately $21. New LED Exit Signs (insert plus case and mount) cost approximately $60.
• Payback: 1 year, on average.

Appliances--Turn off unused computers/equipment.

• Myth: It’s better to leave lights and equipment on because it takes extra energy to start them.
• Reality: If you leave a room for over 15 minutes or a computer for an hour or more, turn off the power.
• Cost: $0
• Payback: Can be substantial if lighting is routinely left on.
• If your house of worship has a chronic problem with lights left on, consider motion sensor switches if efforts to change habits are unsuccessful.

Appliances--Replace inefficient refrigerators/appliances.

• In January 1993, new Federal standards for refrigerators became effective.
• Replace refrigerators bought before 1993 with new, energy-efficient models.
• Cost: approx. $450
• Payback: 5 years, on average
• When purchasing office equipment or appliances, always buy Energy Star-rated equipment, which ensures that the item you purchase will be among the most efficient in its class.
• Think Life-Cycle costing!

Water--Install faucet flow restrictors.

• Faucet flow restrictors, including reduced-flow showerheads, reduce water use (and hot water use), save energy, and conserve water.
• Install in religious-owned housing.
• Cost: $10-$15/showerhead
• Payback: 1 year, on average

Water--Reduce water heater temperature to 110 degrees.

• Water temperature for showers needs to be 110 degrees.
• 95 degrees for handwashing
• Cost: $0
• Payback: Depends on size of water heater, amount of reduction

The Five Steps to Energy Conservation

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