Get Certified!

If your congregation has taken steps to reduce your energy use and carbon emissions, apply to be a Certified Cool Congregation today!

Eco-friendly bamboo plaque is available for each level of certification

With this certification you will demonstrate your leadership in your community by showing that it is possible to reduce emissions, care for our common home, and often save money in the process

How to Apply

If you already have the information on your energy savings, apply today.

First download the application questions and record your answers. This is helpful because you have to complete the online application in one sitting, it is not possible to save a draft and complete it later. The application questions includes the updated 2021 certification policy.

Download the Application Questions

APPLY

If you do not have the information use the Cool Congregations calculator for congregational facilities to take a “before” snapshot of your congregation’s carbon footprint, then make the changes to reduce your footprint, and come back to the calculator again to take an “after” snapshot. If you have reduced by 10% or more, you qualify for certification. Apply above.

You will receive a certificate suitable for framing and you can purchase a classy eco-friendly wooden plaque to show your leadership and inspire your congregants to make changes at home. You can apply for 10, 20, 30, or 40% reduction certification. Due to many congregations achieving higher levels of reduction, in 2020 IPL added new categories of 60, 80 and 100% reductions that a congregation can apply for. The average certified congregation has reduced 42%!

The Certified Cool Congregations listed here are jointly preventing over 1,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere every year. This is the equivalent of not burning one million pounds of coal every year. Read their inspiring stories and apply for certification!

Use the start up kit for congregations: “5 Steps to Becoming a Cool Congregation” to get started on a project to reduce your congregation’s carbon footprint.

Download the Start Up Kit

100% CO2 Reduction – Platinum Medallion

St. Martin’s Episcopal Church

Davis, California Becoming a Zero Carbon Church In 2004, the Episcopal Church of St. Martin in Davis, California, took first ...
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Crosslake Presbyterian

Crosslake, MN Gold Certified Cool Congregation, 110% carbon reduction equivalent Crosslake is a rural town some refer to as “God’s ...
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St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

Framingham, MA Gold Certified Cool Congregation, 110% carbon reduction The 168 solar panels that grace the lovely St. Andrew’s Episcopal ...
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80% and above CO2 Reduction – Gold Medallion

Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

Tucson, AZ Gold Certified Cool Congregation, 80% carbon reduction A progressive and diverse urban parish, Grace Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church ...
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Temple Beth El in Stamford

Stamford, CT Gold Certified Cool Congregation, 80% carbon reduction Temple Beth El in Stamford, Connecticut now has one of the largest ...
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60% and above CO2 Reduction – Silver Medallion

Temple Sinai of Glendale

Glendale, California Temple Sinai of Glendale began with a small but important step – getting an energy audit from their ...
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40% and above CO2 Reduction – Bronze Medallion

Church of the Brethren Modesto

Modesto, CA Gold Certified Cool Congregation, 40% carbon reduction As part of their Earth Stewardship mission, Church of the Brethren in ...
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Flagstaff Federated Community Church

Flagstaff, AZ Gold Certified Cool Congregation, 50% carbon reduction Solar power has slashed the cost of electricity at Federated Community ...
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St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church

Dover, MA Gold Certified Cool Congregation, 50% carbon reduction St. Dunstan’s in Dover, Massachusetts can be very chilly in the winter ...
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Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington

Bloomington, IN Gold Certified Cool Congregation, 50% carbon reduction The question driving this congregation was, “How can we best have ...
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30% CO2 Reduction – Green Medallion

Niles Discovery Church

Fremont, CA This small congregation that is part of both the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples ...
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St. Thomas ELCA Lutheran Church

Bloomington, IN Certified Cool Congregation, 30% carbon reduction St. Thomas Lutheran Church has an ongoing commitment to Creation Care, and ...
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Central Union Church, Honolulu, HI

Honolulu, HI Certified Cool Congregation, 30% carbon reduction Central Union Church, a historic landmark church in Honolulu, decided to become ...
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Emmanuel United Methodist Church

Laurel, MD Certified Cool Congregation, 30% carbon reduction Emmanuel United Methodist Church is operating on 100% renewable energy, without solar, ...
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First Unitarian Church of Cleveland

Shaker Heights, OH Certified Cool Congregation, 30% carbon reduction A large canopy over First Unitarian's parking lot provides shade over ...
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Salvisa Christian Church

Salvisa, KY Certified Cool Congregation, 30% carbon reduction Salvisa Christian Church is a small, rural Green Chalice congregation, worshipping in ...
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Westminster Presbyterian Church

Knoxville, TN Certified Cool Congregation, 30% carbon reduction Electric power usage has a tremendous impact on our carbon footprint, especially ...
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20% CO2 Reduction – Blue Medallion

St. John’s United Church of Christ

Lyons, IL St. John’s Church Council and their Green Facilities Team reduced their worship facilities carbon footprint by 20% or ...
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Bethany Lutheran Church

Cromwell, CT Seeking to improve its environmental stewardship through meaningful and relevant action, Bethany Lutheran Church has reduced the carbon ...
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Genesis of Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI Genesis of Ann Arbor house of worship is shared by Temple Beth Emeth and St. Clare's Episcopal ...
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Brackett Memorial United Methodist Church

Peaks Island, ME Certified Cool Congregation, 20% carbon reduction Brackett Memorial United Methodist Church is located on Peaks Island in ...
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Durham Community Church

Durham, NH Certified Cool Congregation, 20% carbon reduction Right next door to Maine is the Durham Community Church of the ...
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Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church

Louisville, KY Certified Cool Congregation, 20% carbon reduction How many church members does it take to change a lightbulb? Quite ...
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St. John Neumann Catholic Community

Reston, VA In response to the stewardship messages in the Pope’s recent encyclical, Laudato ‘Si, a team of parishioners formed ...
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10% CO2 Reduction – Red Medallion

Covenant Christian Church keeps the covenant for the Earth

Urbandale, Iowa Covenant Christian Church is a certified Interfaith Power & Light Cool Congregation at the 10% level! Covenant is ...
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St. Teresa of Avila Parish

San Francisco, California Motivated and emboldened by Pope Francis’ “Laudato Si” encyclical on care for our common home, St. Teresa ...
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First Unitarian Church

Louisville, KY Certified Cool Congregation, 10% carbon reduction For the past ten years the First Unitarian Church of Louisville has ...
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Lutheran Church of the Resurrection

Prairie Village, KS Certified Cool Congregation, 10% carbon reduction Lutheran Church of the Resurrection is a vibrant and busy church ...
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