Creation Care Alliance of Western North CarolinaHelp us make this a better resource.
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Planting Seeds: Begin basic energy conservation practices
Suggested Practices and Examples for Implementation:
- Post signs above light switches asking folks to “please turn off lights”
- Turn off lights when rooms or areas are not in use
- Set thermostats to energy-saving temperatures, especially when no one is in the building (evenings, specific days)
- Lower by just a few degrees in cold months and raise a few degrees in warm months
- Turn off computers, copy machines, and other office equipment when not in use (using power strips makes it easy to turn off many devices at once)
- Set water heaters to lowest practical temperature
- If you have a janitorial staff that works at night, consider changing to day shifts to cut down on energy use
- Collect and look at utility bills for past 12 months
General Information Related to this Strategy:
- 25 steps under $25, from Cool Congregations
- Low- and no-cost energy efficiency measures
- LED Light Renewal Project with CCA in 2019
Available Resources in Western North Carolina:
Local Faith Communities Currently Utilizing this Strategy:
- Piney Mountain – Davis Chapel UMC, Candler, NC
Nurturing Growth: Conduct an Energy Audit and begin implementing changes
Suggested Practices and Examples for Implementation:
- Be prepared for some higher up-front costs, knowing that your energy savings will increase significantly in the long-run
- Find an energy audit template online or hire someone to conduct an energy audit for you
- Begin making changes based on the audit results, such as:
- Replace incandescent light bulbs with LED bulbs, which are 80% more efficient
- Install “smart” programmable thermostats
- Insulate water heaters
- Insure that attics are well insulated
General Information Related to this Strategy:
- A comprehensive energy audit for congregations, produced by Interfaith Power & Light
- 12 priority measures to save energy
- Cool Congregations
- Energy Star Home Advisor
Available Resources in Western North Carolina:
- Congregations and Info from Western NC Faith Solar Summit 2019
- First Steps to Solar
- Free energy savings analysis
- Blue Horizons Project
Local Faith Communities Currently Utilizing this Strategy:
- Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, Asheville, NC
- First Christian Church Black Mountain, Black Mountain, NC
- St. Eugene Catholic Church, Asheville, NC
- St. James Episcopal Church, Black Mountain, NC
- Unity of the Blue Ridge, Mills River, NC
- First Presbyterian Church, Asheville, NC
Deepening Roots: Move toward larger-scale energy efficiency measures
Suggested Practices and Examples for Implementation:
- Install solar panels
- Replace old windows with energy-saving windows
- Replace old appliances (like refrigerators) with ENERGY STAR models
- Upgrade to an ENERGY STAR air conditioning system
- Install a geothermal heating and cooling pump
General Information Related to this Strategy:
- Solar best practices for congregations
- State incentives for renewables and efficiency
- Energy-efficient windows
- Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
- Cool Effect Carbon Offsets
Available Resources in Western North Carolina:
- Solar Step by Step for Congregations- Steps to Solar – Updated Jan 31 2020
- Solar Congregations in Western NC- CCA SOLAR SURVEY – SUMMARY- PDF From Enrique
- Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Programs, NC Interfaith Power & Light
- Blue Horizons Project
- Going Solar Workshop/Presentation
- Contact Enrique Sanchez: enri13san@gmail.com
Local Faith Communities Currently Utilizing this Strategy:
- Congregations with Solar Panels:
- Trinity Presbyterian Church, Hendersonville, NC
- Contact Enrique Sanchez: enri13san@gmail.com
- First Congregational United Church of Christ, Hendersonville, NC
- Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hendersonville, NC
- The Congregational Church (United Church of Christ), Tryon, NC
- St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Boone, NC
- St. John’s Episcopal Church, Asheville, NC
- St. Eugene Catholic Church, Asheville, NC
- Haywood Street Congregation, Asheville, NC
- Trinity Presbyterian Church, Hendersonville, NC
- High Country United Church of Christ, Vilas, NC (solar panels, improved insulation, programmable thermostats, regular maintenance of weather stripping)
- Contact Rev. Tamara Franks: pastor@highcountryucc.org
