Last summer, Hamline Earthkeepers approached Council for approval to seek out an updated energy audit. The church’s last energy audit was in 2014, and the Earthkeepers wanted to get an idea where the church had made progress on energy use since then, and what areas the church could yet reduce its energy use and carbon footprint. The Earthkeepers researched local energy audit providers and selected EnerChange, a nonprofit focused on providing free energy audits to Minnesota nonprofits, especially churches.

EnerChange obtained the church’s past twelve month’s energy bills, and then in November 2022, the EnerChange auditor met with Hamline Church staff and Earthkeepers for a walk-through of the church building. In January 2023, EnerChange delivered a summary energy-audit report and additional analysis regarding heating options. Also in January, Stephanie Engebrecht joined Hamline Church staff as facilities manager. Steph quickly got up to speed on the energy audit and jumped right into implementing many of the “quick wins” recommendations in the energy audit!

The EnerChange auditor highlighted several areas where the church has made progress since its 2014 energy audit:

• The church’s annual electricity use is down 4% as compared to the data in 2014. Most other church buildings have increased electricity use over that time period.
• In 2022, 28% of our electricity was provided by our solar panels on the roof of the education wing. That saved the church the cost of 26,685 kWh!!
• The church’s annual natural gas use is down 11% compared to the 2014 data. This is due in large part to the improvements we made to our boiler and heating system after the 2014 energy audit.

You can read the church’s 2022 full energy audit report here (PDF).

At the April 24 Church Council meeting, Miriam Friesen presented the results of the energy audit to the Council. You can view the powerpoint from that presentation here (PDF). A few highlights of that discussion:

• The energy audit recommended continuing with updates to lighting. Some updates to LEDs were made after the 2014 energy audit, but there is still significant progress we could make on reducing energy use for lighting. The church is now enrolled in a program offered by Xcel Energy to do some FREE upgrades to some of our lighting in the education wing! Steph is working with a lighting vendor to install these improved light bulbs in the next few weeks.
• The Earthkeepers are encouraging Council to undertake analysis of whether new ceiling fans in the sanctuary would reduce overall energy use. The energy audit did not have enough information about this topic to make a recommendation on it, but pushing heated air down should improve heating efficiency.
• The energy audit recommended replacing our heating plant soon. Options include air source heating, ground source heat pump, or groundwater heat pump. The Council is considering options for further analysis of which of these options will be the right long-term solution for the church. Meanwhile, Steph is working with our boiler operator Kelly to implement some of the energy audit’s recommendations for improving our heating system efficiency. And, our own Angela Wolf Scott is undertaking a study exploring the viability of installing groundwater heat pumps for heating and cooling church buildings. We will look forward to the ways this study may inform whether this would be the best long-term option for heating Hamline Church.
• Starting in 2023, thanks to new federal legislation, new and expanded federal tax credits, rebates, and funding sources have created a new framework for churches (and other nonprofits) to be able to fund efficiency upgrades and renewable energy installations. We hope to take advantage of that in the coming years!
• Above all, Earthkeepers are urging Council to continue to act decisively to reduce the church’s energy use. We believe our church’s energy choices and priorities must be guided by the church’s Creation Care calling and motivated by the urgency of the climate crisis. The decisions the church reaches on building heating and cooling will have a radical impact on the church’s carbon footprint and fossil fuel reliance for the next 20+ years, the critical period for climate action and taking action to protect Creation.