10 Top Tips – Reducing Energy & Carbon

We are all part of the web of God’s creation for ‘in God all things in heaven and earth were created, things visible and invisible’ (Colossians 1:16). And we are called now to act together for the sake of all humanity, for all creation, and our shared home, planet earth.

Lambeth Call 3: The Environment and Sustainable Development 2023

1. Remember the cheapest energy is that which you do not use!  Switch heating off before the end of a service to use residual heat.  Wear an extra layer rather than turn the heating up.  Check that your energy bill is not attracting more than 5% VAT. 
2. Check energy bills regularly and use a smart meter to be aware of usage.  Is something left on unnecessarily overnight or when the church is empty? Completing the CofE Energy Footprint Tool helps you monitor your energy use year on year.   
3. Reduce draughts, fix broken windows and install door curtains.  However, don’t block air bricks or other intentional ventilation.  Open windows to let condensation out and fresh air in. Check for and repair leaking roofs and guttering. Leaks lead to damp, which has all manner of consequences and wastes energy when trying to warm a building.
4. Low use churches rarely need background heating.  It is better to keep the temperature and  humidity stable rather than boost the heating for a couple of hours.
5. If there are two thermostats on the boiler, the high flame setting needs to be lower than the temperature of the low flame setting.  If there is a single thermostat, the dial should be 2/3 round not at max.
6. It has been estimated that 80% of mechanical electricity meters are showing the wrong time.  If the meter is wrong, contact your energy supplier who has a duty to fix it for free.  This will make a difference, particularly if you are on a weekend and evening tariff.
7. Make sure radiators are functioning well by bleeding the air from them, gently vacuuming the dust out from behind them and if possible, putting foil behind to reflect the heat.  If they are still not getting warm, ask your heating engineer to clear the sludge!
8. Lag pipework and pumps to make sure the heat goes to the building not the boiler room.  Check your frost thermostat is not set at too high a temperature. 2-3°C can be enough.
9. Changing lightbulbs to LED can save a huge amount of energy. Most classical fittings (bayonet or screw) can take new LED bulbs.  For other fittings, check with your electrician.
10. Do you need to have your floodlighting on? Can you switch it off completely?  If not, switch off before 11pm.  Consider having the lights sponsored for someone’s birthday or anniversary.

Further Resources

Read:

A helpful self-check list for churches to use to see how to reduce energy and carbon from the Church of England Net Zero Team.

The Diocesan Advisory Net Zero Committee Environment Guidance contains helpful detail for Listed buildings, heling us care for places of worship with environmental integrity.

Watch

A collection of case studies, discussion questions and videos showcasing what churches can do to reduce their energy and carbon emissions: www.churchofengland.org/about/environment-and-climate-change/towards-net-zero-carbon-case-studies 

A video from the Church Buildings Team ‘Fix the leaks, lower the bills and help the planet!’ https://youtu.be/OueI4SLNzZo 

A helpful Church Urban Fund webinar ‘Heat your church sustainably this winter’ https://youtu.be/Dnkk_Ih651k

Church of England Net Zero resources

Lots to explore on this Church of England Net Zero hub page, both theologically and practically:https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/net-zero-carbon-church

Eco Church

This organisation seeks to help as many churches as possible celebrate what they’re doing to care for the environment and decide what to tackle next. ecochurch.arocha.org.uk

Apply for Funding

Various grant streams to kick start your energy consumption reduction and cut your carbon footprint are available – please contact George, Net Zero Carbon Programme Enabler, at george.davies@lincoln.anglican.org to find out more.