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.

-------