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Innovative Solutions Generate Immediate Savings for Church
Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church
760 DeKalb Avenue, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
Reverend Johnny Ray Youngblood
This grand Bedford-Stuyvesant facility - built originally as a Catholic church, school and convent -- consists of three buildings totaling about 39,000 square feet. The church building is largely one floor. The school building, still in use, has three floors and a cellar as does the former convent, which now serves as an administrative office building. The buildings were not zoned, so all had to be heated at the same time even when all are not in use -- for instance, the school had to be heated on Sundays during services in the sanctuary.
Through the Pratt Center's Sustainable Houses of Worship program, an energy audit was conducted by Andrew Rudin of Energy Management, who specializes in church buildings. Additionally, a survey of lighting was done by the Con Edison Commercial Direct Install Program.
All recommended energy conservation measures have been implemented, includinglighting upgrades,the creation of separate heating zones for each building in the complex, and insulation of water pipes. Improvements are projected to lower its energy consumption costs by $13,000 a year.
In October 2010 the Pratt Center honored Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church as a “Beacon of Sustainability” for its leadership in promoting energy efficiency in Bedford-Stuyvesant.
Recommended Energy Efficiency Measures
- Heat with one boiler
PROJECTED ANNUAL SAVINGS: $2,000
- Change electric rate
PROJECTED ANNUAL SAVINGS: $1,600
- Program and use HeatTimer
PROJECTED ANNUAL SAVINGS: $1,000
- Eliminate water cooler
PROJECTED ANNUAL SAVINGS: $240
- Turn off church audio equipment when not in use
PROJECTED ANNUAL SAVINGS: $200
- Lower steam pressure
PROJECTED ANNUAL SAVINGS: $100
- Lower hot water temperature
PROJECTED ANNUAL SAVINGS: $50
- Lighting upgrades
COST BEFORE INCENTIVES: $7,542
COST AFTER INCENTIVES: $2,250
PROJECTED ANNUAL SAVINGS: $5,410
- Seal roof vent
COST: $50
PROJECTED ANNUAL SAVINGS: $500
- Zone buildings separately
COST: $1,600
PROJECTED ANNUAL SAVINGS: $2,000
- Insulate near boiler pipes
COST:$200
PROJECTED ANNUAL SAVINGS: $100
- Replace refrigerator
COST: $450
PROJECTED ANNUAL SAVINGS: $200
- Install boiler water meter
COST: $70
All recommended measures:
COST BEFORE INCENTIVES: $9,912
COST AFTER INCENTIVES: $4,620
PROJECTED ANNUAL SAVINGS: $13,400 (pays back in four months)
Incentives and Results
The Con Edison Commercial Direct Install Program will pay for 70 percent of the cost of the lighting measures.
More than $5,000 worth of savings were available at no expense, simply by managing the way the building gets its energy and the way the boilers are used. Additionally, we were able to reduce the projected expense of boiler modifications through the creative thinking of Christopher Kay of Gem Mechanical. Chris achieved our goals by realizing that the valves we wished to install were already essentially there. He turned an $8,000 projected cost into a $1,600 actual cost. This underscores the importance of having team members who are creative problem-solvers.
Other Work
The Pratt Center has referred a roofing consultant to Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church to help the congregation deal with some longstanding roof leakage issues, and is also helping administrators examine the options for utilizing office space on the third floor of the convent building to generate income.
