How to plan energy efficiency into church design

by Matt Donnelly

When devastating floods hit Grand Forks, North Dakota, in 1997, the basement and parts of the first floor of First Presbyterian Church's 90-year-old brick facility filled with flood water.

After the flood waters receded, church leaders assessed the damage. It soon became clear that the building was no longer usable. The congregation voted to sell the old 25,000 square-foot building and to construct a new 13,500 square-foot facility. In consultation with neighboring environmental groups as well as architects and engineers, First Presbyterian planned a new, energy-efficient church.

The congregation asked the builders to use insulated windows, extra building insulation, a ground-water heat pump to warm the church—even a few passive solar panels. "Any energy-efficient methods you use will save you money," says Pastor Gretchen Daneke-Graf. "But building this way is also a witness to environmental integrity, to stewardship of the environment. The stewardship issue was even more important to us than the cost savings."

As other congregations have discovered, making a church more energy efficient not only helps protect the environment; it also saves money. For example, when Georgetown Gospel Chapel in Seattle made its existing church buildings more energy-efficient, it cut $5,000 a year from its annual budget of $55,000. That money is now used for missions, a Christian camp, and enhanced community outreach (including a community garden).

1. Schedule energy use. Experts estimate that at least three-fourths of a church's energy costs go toward keeping facilities comfortable during the days when the facilities are used. That includes cooling warm rooms, warming cool rooms, and removing high levels of humidity. "The majority of churches use their complete structure only a few days a week," Rawlston says. "Most of the heating and cooling requirements are for when people are in the building."

Rawlston suggests reducing heating and cooling costs by installing a system that shuts off fresh air requirements when the church is not in use. Many congregations that build new churches opt for a computerized system that controls when and where fresh air, light, heat, and air conditioning go to various parts of the church.

A precise schedule for when to turn on lights, heating, and other energy users is also necessary, says Bruce Anderson, president of Donné Corporation, a firm that plans church construction. A simple programmable thermostat to control when the heating comes on and goes off can save a church up to 25 percent on energy bills, says the Evangelical Environ mental Network.

2. Use a geothermal heat pump. In most parts of the United States, a geothermal heat pump (GHP) is a viable alternative to oil or gas furnaces and air conditioners. A study from the U.S. Environ mental Protection Agency has concluded that these pumps are the most energy-efficient space-conditioning systems available. According to estimates from the U.S. Department of Energy, GHPs can trim the amount of electricity used for heating and cooling by as much as 30 to 40 percent.

GHPs rely on relatively stable ground temperatures. They don't create heat but use electricity to move heat from the church to the ground during the summer, then pump warmth from the ground to the church during the winter. First Presbyterian Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota, uses a GHP to warm its facilities. The church does not have a furnace.

High-efficiency GHPs remove humidity from the air more efficiently than air conditioners do, and at a lower cost. GHPs provide hot water for free in the summer. Water heating costs in winter are cut roughly in half.

3. Insulate well. Adding plenty of insulation is an important way to make a new church building energy-efficient. Churches are catching on to that, says Tim Davis, director of marketing at Midwest Church Builders. "Churches are be coming much more forward thinking," he says. "They know that spending a little money on extra insulation up-front will result in energy savings down the road."

Congregations with older church facilities as well as those who are building new ones should talk to their builders about having an adequate amount of insulation in the ceiling, walls, and around the perimeter of the floor, says Brian Rawlston of Morton Builders. It's also important to add insulation to eliminate air leaks around windows and doors, he says.

Most new churches install insulated windows to keep the heat out in summer and the heat in during the winter. Double- or triple-pane windows have insulating air- or gas-filled spaces between each pane of glass to minimize heat transfer. Ac cording to Darrell W. Eggleston, president of the Houston-based Century Builders, insulated windows alone can reduce energy bills up to 15 percent.

4. Use the right lighting. In most cases, how a space in a church is used determines what type of lighting is best. Fluorescent bulbs will save about 75 percent in energy costs over incandescents, but they aren't as flexible. For example, it's more difficult to dim or direct the light from a fluorescent bulb. Fluorescents are typically used in classrooms and offices, while incandescent lights are best in the church sanctuary and auditorium, Rawlston says.

In addition to installing energy-efficient lighting, another way to reduce lighting costs is to put in one or more skylights. If you live in an area where there is a good amount of sunlight, you'll be able to reduce your lighting costs even further.

5. Plant stuff. Don't forget the importance of landscaping. In addition to making your church look more attractive, properly placed vegetation can help reduce your energy costs. Deciduous trees, for example, can provide natural barriers to summer sun while allowing winter sunlight to warm the church. In addition, plants and shrubs can be helpful windbreaks.

Buildings that are surrounded with grass tend to be about 10 degrees cooler in the summer than buildings flanked by asphalt or concrete. Bob Kemper, a building systems engineer with Myler Church Building Systems, says that asphalt and concrete stretches next to church buildings bounce solar radiation back to a building in the summer, which means that air-conditioning systems have to work that much harder.

6. Look for the ENERGY STAR. Electric appliances used to be real energy guzzlers. Today, thanks to the U.S. government's voluntary ENERGY STAR certification program, it's easy to find a whole range of products recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy for their energy efficiency. (For a complete list of products, see www. energystar.gov.)

Any added cost of ENERGY STAR products will be more than recouped in a few years by the savings they offer compared with products produced just a decade ago. Georgetown Gospel Chapel in Seattle, Washing ton, discovered that when it purchased two small ENERGY STAR-rated refrigerators to replace older models. The electricity cost for those two appliances has been cut by two-thirds.

7. Go for the green. Commercially viable alternative fuel sources are becoming more available. So check for alternative sources of energy, such as hydropower or solar-harnessing systems in your area. In California, the deregulation of the electric industry has resulted in a number of power companies that offer electric power from alternative sources at very competitive prices.

But do compare prices. In the state of Washington, Georgetown Gospel Chapel discovered power from a local utility was the best deal because most of that power comes from hydroelectric dams.

A number of states offer financial incentives for companies and churches that use alternative fuel sources. Oregon and Idaho, for example, offer low-interest loans and substantial tax credits for solar systems bought by businesses, individuals, or governments.

Contact your state or local government to see what programs are available in your area. For more information about renew able energy choices, visit the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network at www.eren.doe.gov.

Matt Donnelly (mdonnelly@truthmail.com) is a freelance writer living in Pacific Grove, California.

Helpful Resources

Ceco Builders
800-474-2326
www.cecobuildings.net

Century Builders
800-777-5622
www.century-builders.com

Morton Buildings
800-447-7436
www.mortonbuildings.com

Myler Church Building Systems
800-878-4945
www.myler.com

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