Focus Issue: Energy Efficiency

The key to reducing both air pollution and global warming lies in increasing the energy efficiency of our homes, building, cars, and power plants. There is much that can be done locally in this arena. Home energy audits will become important to us all in Texas’ de-regulated market for retail electricity. Emerson has locked in long-term energy and cost savings by building an energy efficient structure. The choice of a car is one of our best opportunities for personally increasing energy efficiency. We all buy cars, and automobile engine design may soon be revolutionized by gasoline/battery engines and fuel-cells.

Reducing Energy Usage At Emerson
Thanks to one of our key group members, Emerson saved $2,750 in utility bills the first five months of 2001, compared to the same months of the previous year! This was accomplished largely through A/C management, especially by setting the thermostat in the Sanctuary at 75 degrees instead of 70 degrees. This small change is alone expected to save as much as 20% on the cost of cooling that very large space. The savings translates into 45,000 pounds of carbon-dioxide NOT emitted into the atmosphere.

Other church members met with a lighting consultant, who has recommended we change out most of our existing light bulbs in the old RE wing and in Westwood Hall, replacing many of them with more efficient halogen bulbs.  When completed, this program is expected to cut our energy use for lighting by 30%.

As a result of its preliminary energy audit of the church, a programmable thermostat was installed in our largest religious education room.  If it works as expected to lower the cost of air conditioning that space, we will extend the effort to other rooms throughout the church.  

Energy Efficiency Websites  
Texas Legislature Online www.capitol.state.tx.us
The US Environmental Protection Agency established its Energy Star Program several years ago to stimulate energy-efficient technologies by testing, certifying, and publicizing them. Energy Star has a special sub-program just for church congregations. Their very rich website includes concrete examples of how churches have achieved major dollar savings on their energy bills. Visit www.epa.gov/smallbiz/congregations
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy www.acee.org
Greener Cars www.greenercars.com Gives mileage, emissions by model
Solstice www.solstice.crest.org
Interfaith Coalition on Energy www.mcimail.com conserving energy in our church buildings.
Texas Environmental Center  www.tec.org Offers a CD-ROM on building energy efficient buildings (Dan Rather narrates).

Energy Efficiency Books
Energy Efficiency Manual: For everyone Who Uses Energy, Pays for Utilities, Designs and Builds, is Interested in Energy Conservation and the Environment by Donald Wulfinghoff
Reinventing Electric Utilities: Competition, Citizen Action, and Clean Power by Edward Smeloff, Peter Asmus, and Amory Lovins
Turning Off The Heat: Why America Must Double Energy Efficiency to Save Money & Reduce Global Warming by T.R. Casten
The Residential Energy Audit Manual by Dale Schueman