LEARN MORE AT
energystar.gov
ENERGY STAR®, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
program, helps us all save money and protect our environment
through energy efficient products and practices. For more
information, visit www.energystar.gov.
ENERGY STAR Congregations: New England
Energy Performance Rating for Your House of Worship
Improved Stewardship of Energy, Money and
the Environment with ENERGY STAR
Did you know that a building can earn the ENERGY STAR
label just like your office equipment can? An ENERGY STAR
labeled facility meets strict energy performance standards set
by EPA and uses less energy, is less expensive to operate,
and causes fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a non-
qualified facility. The nation's estimated 370,000 houses of
worship spend more than $3 billion on energy each year—to
help counter these costs, ENERGY STAR Congregations
helps worship facilities improve their facility performance
while reducing energy costs. If America's worship facilities cut
energy use by only 10 percent:
• About $315 million would be saved for congregations'
missions and other priorities.
• Nearly 2 billion kWh of electricity would be available
without additional cost and pollution.
• About 1 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions
would be prevented.
However, actual savings of about 30% are typically possible.
Users have benchmarked over 130,000 commercial buildings
and nearly 12,000 have earned the ENERGY STAR label,
verifying energy and dollar savings and reduced greenhouse
gas emissions. To read about worship facilities that have
earned the label, please visit www.enerqvstar.gov/buildinqlist.
To qualify for the ENERGY STAR, a building must score in
the top 25 percent based on EPA's National Energy
Performance Rating System. To determine the performance
of a facility, EPA's Portfolio Manager tool compares energy
use among other, similar types of facilities on a scale of 1-
100; buildings that achieve a score of 75 or higher are eligible
for the ENERGY STAR. An ENERGY STAR labeled worship
facility typically uses 30% less energy than an average house
of worship. The EPA rating system accounts for differences in
operating conditions, regional weather data, and other
important considerations. To sign up for a free Portfolio
Manager Account and get started, please visit
www.enerqvstar.gov/benchmark.
To join ENERGY STAR for Congregations, go to:
www.enerqvstar.qov/ioin
Questions, Looking for more Information?
Contact Wadi Muhammad
ENERGY STAR Congregations Program
muhammad.wadi@epa.gov
(617)918-1807
A National Energy Performance Rating
For Congregations
The Environmental Protection
Agency has expanded the
National Energy Performance
Rating system to worship
facilities based on the
Department of Energy's Energy
most 2003 Commercial
Buildings Energy Consumption
Survey (CBECS). The rating
helps individual managers to
accurately assess the energy
performance of their buildings; make more informed
budgetary, investment and management decisions.
Ultimately enabling them to calculate and communicate
their environmental stewardship achievements to clergy
and members, as well as the larger community.
First Parish in Needham, Unitarian Universalist
(Labeled in 2010)
Of the 11 Houses of
Worship which have
earned the ENERGY
STAR to date, First
Parish in Needham
Massachusetts is the
only facility located in
New England. First
Parish earned a
score of 94 out of 100 on EPA's Energy Performance
Scale. First Parish also won a 2010 ENERGY STAR for
Congregations Award.
First Parish is Needham's oldest religious community. Its
current meeting house was built in 1836 and is the oldest
public building in Needham. In 2007-8, the church
was completely renovated, with added meeting space
and classrooms, which created a larger, more useful, and
environmentally progressive house of worship.
The renovated building is now 25% larger at 15,000-
square-feet, but despite its larger size and the addition of
air conditioning, the new building has reduced First
Parish's utility costs by 50%. Elements that contribute to
the building's energy efficiency include: a high efficiency
boiler and air conditioning, improved ventilation, new
windows, improved lighting and more efficient appliances.
Additionally, First Parish installed temperature monitors
throughout to automatically control the heating/cooling.
Visit www.enerpystar.pov/conprepations for more information on ENERGY STAR resources
and recognition.
-------
LEARN MORE AT
energystar.gov
ENERGY STAR®, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
program, helps us all save money and protect our environment
through energy efficient products and practices. For more
information, visit www.energystar.gov.
ENERGY STAR Congregations: New England
Annual Awards for Excellence in Energy Management
2010 ENERGY STAR
Saving energy is about more
than saving money. It
demonstrates a congregation's
commitment to environmental
stewardship, as well as
financial. Such a congregation
can lead its members and local
community to similar successes.
The US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) has
recognized congregations for superior energy savings
since 1999 with the ENERGY STAR Congregations
Award. This award is presented each year to those
congregations that have improved energy efficiency of
their facilities through strategic management and
facility improvements during the prior two years.
Winners receive an ENERGY STAR award plaque,
local public announcements, and permanent
recognition on the ENERGY STAR website and in a
national press release.
ENERGY STAR has recognized 46 congregations with
such awards since the inception of the program—of
those 46, eight have been in New England. Facilities
have done all types of improvements from larger scale
heating/cooling system upgrades to simple lighting
projects and no-cost, low-cost maintenance
strategies—but all award winners have achieved
significant energy savings. Detailed stories of these
award winners and all others are online at
www.energystar.gov/CongregationAwards
Congregation Or Shalom, Orange CT
(2008 Winner)
Congregation Or
Shalom began its
journey toward energy
efficiency like most
congregations—with a
desire to improve
energy efficiency and
reduce operating
expenses. It continued with the involvement of many of
the 350 member families—and focused primarily on
lighting improvements.
I
The congregation, whose name means Light of Peace,
chose to work with the facilities staff, the existing facilities
budget, and member volunteers to implement an energy
saving plan and make it affordable. Installation of compact
fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and lighting controls were steps
toward major savings. Just switching bulbs generated an
estimated savings of $473 annually. They also replaced
old appliances with ENERGY STAR qualified equipment;
placed reminder notices on thermostats in public areas to
turn them off when not occupied; and set up a
maintenance program for regular service on the heating
and air conditioning systems.
Dennis Union Church, Dennis MA (2008 Winner)
Dennis Union Church
was able to add 5,000
square feet of new
space, renovate, and
add central air
conditioning to their
facility and still lower
their annual energy
bills. Thoughtful
planning, assistance and rebates from local energy
organizations, and technical support made it all possible.
The congregation embarked on an ambitious $2.5 million
renovation and expansion program in 2003. Concerns
about energy consumption and carbon footprint mandated
that the renovated building consume less energy post-
renovation. Because Dennis Union is a congregational
church, members are highly involved in the decision-
making process, consistent with their faith tradition.
Regular congregational meetings were held to discuss the
project and the expected outcomes while weekly updates
were given on project progress. On opening weekend,
facility tours highlighted the energy efficiency measures.
Ultimately, in addition to new construction, approximately
2/3 of the existing facility was renovated and most of the
electrical, plumbing and HVAC infrastructure was
replaced. Even with the new addition, Dennis Union
Church saved 1,308 kWh of electricity in 2008 and
reduced their overall electric bill by $262.
For the 2011 award application and guidance, please visit
www.energystar.gov/congregations.
Visit www.enerpystar.pov/conprepations for more information on ENERGY STAR
resources and recognition.
------- |