Seminar will help churches conserve energy

By CAROL REEVES
Gazette-Times reporter

Faith communities have preached stewardship n the wise management of one's money, time and talents n for years. Many of them are now focusing on the importance of being good stewards of the planet as well.

Members of several local congregations will gather Thursday to talk about how energy-efficient buildings can conserve both natural resources and money without compromising aesthetic or spiritual values.

The discussions will take place during a half-day seminar titled "Energy-Efficient Building and Renovation: A Practical Workshop to Help Congregations Save Money and Steward Creation" hosted by First United Methodist Church.

The chief sponsors of the event are Oregon Interfaith Power and Light, an affiliate of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, and the Energy Trust of Oregon, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting energy efficiency and the use of clean, renewable energy.

Programs and technologies that congregations can use to make their facilities more energy efficient and environmentally friendly will be shared by a panel of experts, including architects, energy consultants and representatives from the Energy Trust and the state Department of Energy. Congregational representatives will also share stories about their own building projects, including the challenges and the spiritual and material benefits of taking an energy-efficient approach.

Jan Fillinger, one of four principal architects at Solarc Architecture and Engineering in Eugene who specializes in "green" buildings, will be one of the speakers. The winner of a People's Choice award in 2003 for his design of an addition and remodel at Emmaus Lutheran Church in Eugene, he is currently serving as a consultant to Temple Beth Israel as it builds a new facility, also in Eugene.

Most people are interested in energy efficiency and sustainability when it comes to building something new, but there's often a disconnect between what they want and what they think they can afford, Fillinger said.

Sometimes when you go beyond minimum code requirements it does cost more, but by using an architect that relies on years of experience in using a green approach as he draws every line, the payback can be significant, he said.

"We think with intelligent design the first layers of energy efficient approaches don't have to cost more, but they do involve a change in thinking," Fillinger said.

An integrated approach in which the architectural team, engineers and congregational representatives work together from the beginning of the project is key, he added.

A good example can be found in the style and placement of windows in a new church sanctuary. Many things have to be considered, including the shape and height, what kind of glazing is used and where the windows are placed. Each will affect the view and whether they will help light the auditorium or provide natural cooling and ventilation.

Using windows, rather than an air-conditioning system to provide ventilation, can save lots of money but they have to be operable windows (ones that can be opened and shut), Fillinger explained. If parishioners are concerned with security, noise or even problems with pollutants or pollens, those issues must be resolved during the design process.

In churches such as Emmaus Lutheran, where the sanctuary used to be very dark but is now full of light, the whole mood of a worship service can change with the introduction of different windows.

"Emmaus only meets in the sanctuary on Sunday morning at 11 a.m., so we had to be concerned with the eastern sun coming in but not the western sun. Where we placed the altar was important, too, so people wouldn't be looking directly into the light as they listened to the preacher," Fillinger explained.

The Temple Beth Israel project faces other challenges, he said. Jewish tradition requires that the altar face east toward Jerusalem. Also, the worship center, like most congregations', is the biggest and yet the least-used room in the complex.

They hope to take a more sustainable approach n one that will use less energy n by turning it into a multiple-use space. If the sanctuary can be used seven days a week, other rooms in the building can be smaller and they can build fewer of them.

According to Fillinger, church building committees must consider many factors in determining how green techniques might be applied to spiritual settings n the number of people who use a space, what they're using it for, acoustical requirements, and what kind of ambience a room is supposed to create. They need to understand that some steps such as better insulation or retrofitting outdated fluorescent lighting produce quicker savings than others.

Most churches can improve their energy efficiency, and there's plenty of help available to those who want to learn how.

"It just takes a commitment," Fillinger said.

At a glance

WHAT: "Energy-Efficient Building and Renovation: A Practical Workshop to Help Congregations Save Money and Steward Creation"

WHEN: Thursday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE: First United Methodist Church, 1165 N.W. Monroe Ave.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Tuesday

SPONSORS: Energy Trust of Oregon and Oregon Interfaith Power and Light

COST: $20 per person or $30 for a group of two to six members of the same church (including lunch and materials)

INFORMATION: 503-221-1054, www.emoregon.org

Carol Reeves covers religion for the Gazette-Times. She can be reached by e-mail at carol.reeves@lee.net or by phone at 758-9516.