Energy savings are significant in providing funding for other ministry

By Randy Hoff

More churches realize good financial and environmental returns through energy efficiency.

In the nation’s most-attended church, Lakewood Church, Energy Education Specialist Lisa Ward’s Saturday begins early. While most people are starting the weekend by sleeping in, she is going through the building at 6:00 a.m., identifying additional energy savings opportunities in the nearly 700,000-square-foot facility.

“There is rarely a time of the day that this church is not alive with activity,” Ward says. “A major part of my job is to effect change in the organizational culture so that energy is not being used unnecessarily and we are not spending money unwisely.”

Three years ago, the Houston, TX church took a proactive approach to reduce energy spending by partnering with Energy Education to implement a sustainable energy conservation program aimed at changing the entire organization’s behavior towards energy use. The program has achieved tremendous success in saving financial resources and protecting the environment.

Through March of this year, the church has reduced energy consumption by 37 percent resulting in savings of nearly $1.3 million. The program’s impact on the environment is just as significant, with a reduction of 5,835 total metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to 1,047 cars off the highway for a year or 149,259 tree seedlings planted and grown in a 10-year period. As a result, the church received the 2010 ENERGY STAR Congregation Award for energy efficiency from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“For me, I believe my role and the energy program are extremely important because energy efficiency is another way we can continue to be excellent stewards of our church finances,” she explains. “It allows us to save money and use those savings toward the mission of the church.”

Florida utility costs
In central Florida, soaring energy costs across a 125-acre campus a few years ago had become an increasing concern for the leadership at First Baptist Church of Orlando. A 17 percent increase in rates after a contract with an energy provider expired meant the church was about to spend nearly $1 million annually in utility costs.

“We knew if we could control our energy costs, the funds could be used in a variety of ministries and mission opportunities, not only in central Florida but also globally,” says Chris Friedmann, senior director of Business Operations.

For Energy Education Specialist Jim Hughes, the church’s commitment to taking care of natural resources was just as vital.

“As a church, we understand our role in protecting the environment and that this is a biblically-rooted task from God,” he says. “With a church our size in this community, it’s important for us to be at the forefront of providing energy efficiency and green solutions. It’s why we view our program as ‘energy stewardship,’ not just ‘energy conservation.’”

Since 2008, First Baptist Orlando – also a 2010 ENERGY STAR Congregation Award recipient – has saved more than $1.2 million from reducing energy consumption by nearly 34 percent. In 2010 alone, they were able to reduce CO2
emissions by a total of 3,303 metric tons.

Jerry Lawson, national manager for ENERGY STAR Small Businesses and Congregations Network, agrees with Hughes’ assessment that places of
worship should be at the forefront when it comes to protecting our natural resources.

“These congregations, like all of our centers of worship who are ENERGY STAR Partners, realize the importance of protecting our natural resources,” he said. “These faith communities are setting a standard for true energy efficiency. At the same time, they are to be commended for leading in stewardship of their financial resources through the same efficiency investments that protect our natural resources. Smart energy stewards are directing utility savings right back into the ministry of the church.”

Nestled in the heart of the Ozarks, Cross Church with three campuses in Northwest Arkansas, has been aggressively reducing energy consumption since 2008 when the 13,000-member congregation started their Energy Education program. While saving funds to use in church ministries is the focus, taking care of the environment is very important to the church in a state with the motto “The Natural State.”

“Taking care of the environment of northwest Arkansas is imperative to the people here,” says senior pastor Dr. Ronnie Floyd. “It was evident with the energy program that we would not only save money to be used in our
ministries, but also show real results of how we are taking proactive steps to protect the environment of our
beautiful area of the state.” As of the end of March of this year, the church has reduced CO2
emissions by nearly 7,315 metric tons.

Also receiving an ENERGY STAR Congregation Award in 2010, Cross Church sees the efforts at conservation becoming more of a way of life with church staff than simply an energy program.

“As the program matures the change in habits and how our staff conserves energy becomes part of our every day process. We see it in our church members who recognize they are a part of the saving effort when they are on the campuses,” says Floyd. “I believe we are truly exemplifying as a church what it means to be good stewards of God’s beauty here in the Ozarks.”

Prestonwood the first
In north Texas, another one of the nation’s most-recognized congregations – Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano – was the first church to work with Energy Education in 2006. When they moved to their current, more than 1 million-square foot facility in the Dallas suburb, church leadership took a serious look at how to reduce energy spending.

“Saving money on utilities became a very high priority, very quickly,” says executive pastor Mike Buster. “We realized that even though we had the newest, most energy-efficient equipment available, we needed to do more to eliminate waste and reduce cost. That is where changing our entire organization’s behavior and culture toward energy use became our goal.”

Today, the savings are impressive, nearly $5.3 million, including a second campus that opened in 2008. With a third campus slated to launch in Dallas in August, Prestonwood’s energy conservation program demonstrates how energy efficiency can resonate across multiple locations. The 30,000-member church was awarded the ENERGY STAR Congregation Award for energy efficiency success in 2007.

“Each day we follow God’s command to bring his Word to an unbelieving world,” says Pastor Jack Graham. “To do so, we need to be as efficient as possible with the resources he provides to us. Our energy program has taught our staff and congregation how to use energy wisely, allowing us to save money that goes toward furthering God’s kingdom while at the same time protecting our environment.”

Randy Hoff is the chief executive officer for Energy Education, Dallas, TX.   www.energyeducation.com

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