Resources for Greening Congregational Facilities
Energy Efficiency, Clean Energy, and Tips to Save
- Contact your utility company to see if they offer free or low-cost energy audits for churches
- Contact your local or state government to learn about incentive programs for energy audits
- Determine how well insulated different parts of your church are, and add insulation where necessary and effective
- Install an insulation blanket on water heaters seven years of age or older, and insulate the first three feet of the heated water “out” pipe
- Install an energy-efficient electric or gas water heater
- In areas of infrequent water use, consider “tankless” water heaters to reduce “standby” storage costs and waste
- Set your water heater to 110–120 degrees Fahrenheit where appropriate (some local health codes require higher temperatures)
- Install seven-day programmable thermostats
- Install thermal shades for windows to conserve heat in winter
- Install tinted windows to reduce solar heat gain in summer
- Clean or change your HVAC filter once a month
- Utilize natural light where possible
- Utilize natural cooling and ceiling fans to avoid use of air conditioning
- Check ductwork to ensure that joints are sealed
- Include responsibility for best environmental practices in facilities manager’s job description or under the building and grounds committee
- Establish a fund for energy improvements in the church’s budget
- ENERGY STAR for Congregations: Environmental Protection Agency program to assist churches with energy efficiency. Participating churches receive technical help and may use the Portfolio Manager system to track and reduce energy.
- Explore LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Certification
- PC(USA) carbon neutral guide
- Interfaith Power and Light congregation carbon calculator
- Purchase ENERGY STAR products
- Learn more about clean energy
- See if your utility/state offers green power
- Perform two preseason checks to maintain HVAC systems each year
Water conservation
- EPA WaterSense: learn about faucet aerators and ways to conserve water
- Repair leaking pipes, fixtures and seals and consider purchasing low-flow toilets and waterless urinals
- Install controls that turn faucets off automatically, and/or put reminder signs near faucets to not let water run unnecessarily
Recycling/Waste
- Identify and use recycling locations
- Purchase recycled paper and office products
- Donate to charities that accept unneeded items that cannot be recycled
- Use refill kits for ink cartridges and toner cartridges
- Recycle ink cartridges and toner cartridges that cannot be refilled
- Use labeled recycling bins for aluminum, glass, plastic, metal and cardboard
Food
- Purchase fair trade coffee and tea (sustainably grown)
- Prepare vegetarian recipes or vegan recipes
- Find and support your local farmers’ markets
- Be a pick-up location for CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)
Buildings
- Make your own less-toxic cleaners with vinegar, baking soda, salt, borax, etc.
- Use low volatile organic compound (VOC) content paints, varnishes and cleaning supplies
- Explore green design and remodeling options if your church is rebuilding or renovating
- Purchase used items for renovations
- Recycle or donate used items if your church does renovations
Grounds
- Eliminate pesticides with organic gardening
- Use integrated pest management (IPM) methods
- Select plants for church grounds that are native to the area, in an attempt to decrease invasive species and reduce the need for watering.
- Consider diverting gray water for irrigation rather than using fresh water
- Use a rain barrel or cistern to store rainwater for later use
- Compost yard waste and food scraps
- Become certified as a “Community Wildlife Habitat” from the National Wildlife Federation
- Create pollinator habitat from the Xerces Society’s “Pollinator Conservation Handbook”
- Use Audubon Society resources to create habitat for birds, bats and butterflies
- Plant shade trees to reduce heat and to help storm water management
- Learn about storm water management issues and strategies from the EPA
- Plant a rain garden or install a bioswale
- Create a green roof on your church
- When repaving the church’s parking lot, consider a permeable paver
