2014 Cool Congregations Challenge Winner ENERGY EFFICIENCY Category The Eco Center at Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center Little Rock, AR Faith Tradition: Presbyterian Cost Savings: $7,626 annual savings CO2 Reduction: 319 metric tons CO2 per year Energy Savings: 956 kWh/year Reduction in CO2 footprint (over standard construction): 95% Ferncliff is a summer camp and year […]
Energy Efficiency
2012 Winner in Energy Efficiency
A sustainable renovation and restoration project in Madison, Connecticut, brought the Sisters of Mercy the top prize in the Energy Efficiency and Conservation category in the 2012 Cool Congregations Challenge. The Sisters of Mercy recognized that their Mercy Center retreat facilities could no longer meet the Connecticut State Building Code. It could have meant the […]
From soft drinks to savings
This is an unusual picture – one of nothing. An empty stretch of carpet, some bare wall, and an unused electrical socket. Why is this a good thing for our congregation and the environment? Well, what’s interesting here is what’s not there, and the answer to that is our old soda machine. For at least […]
Programmable savings
Could something as simple as a programmable thermostat make a difference? Our hope was a “yes” when it was one of our energy audit recommendations and the first we implemented. Below is our story along with proof of the energy savings. Our small church is in a building built by an Assembly of God Congregation […]
Looking where light is brightest
An advantage of being a, small, rural economically challenged congregation is that we are always consciously looking to control operating expenses. The First Congregational Church of Durham, Maine has had this experience for many years. Within the past 15 years we have replaced doors and windows with high efficiency ones to save fuel, replaced our […]
Small church big heart
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church’s energy conservation program ranges from tiny one-volt batteries to kilowatt readings on the electrical meter. St. Paul’s is an EPA Energy Star Congregation and is following suggestions from EPA and Interfaith Power and Light for remodeling, measuring energy use, reducing our footprint, and spreading the conservation message. St. Paul’s made improvements […]
