Evergreen Power Update

     As part of our effort to become a Green Sanctuary, we reviewed our energy use for our structure. Usage falls into three categories: lighting, hot water and heating/cooling. The costs to make our sanctuary ‘greener’ from an energy standpoint are lowest for lighting, more for hot water, and greatest for upgrading our heating/cooling systems. The PUD of Snohomish County offers a lighting rebate program for retrofitting fixtures to reduce energy consumption.  We have applied for that and should have the process completed by December 1.

      The Green Team is at work reducing energy use in Beaman Hall by upgrading the lighting with plans to change the current lights everywhere beyond Beaman Hall to compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).
Regarding the cost of heating water, our three hot water tanks are well insulated with blankets. We have checked and adjusted the water temperatures on all of them to 120 degrees F. The last thing we could do to improve the hot water category is to have a temp boost isolated to the dishwashing system.
We can replace our existing toilets with low volume models and reduce our water usage.

      Finally, for  heating and cooling, we can work in two directions simultaneously: creating and installing insulated tapestries over the large stained glass windows to reduce heat loss through those large areas, and ‘creating’ double or triple paned windows in all the classrooms. Read more information in the next issue.

Evergreen UU Fellowship accepts the $1,200.00 from the PUD Lighting Rebate Program

November 6, 2009