Utilities make up a significant portion of a church’s annual budget. Updating the HVAC systems and installing cost-saving light fixtures can significantly reduce the amount a church spends on gas and electric.
Fortunately, there is help with the initial cost of these improvements. Contact your local power company (or visit their website) to see what they offer. Many will replace inefficient bulbs with new LED bulbs for free. Not only will you save in electric costs, but the new LED bulbs last significantly longer, saving money on replacement costs. They may also provide rebates for LED bulbs, new windows, insulation and other electric saving options.
Consider hiring an electrical engineer to do an audit of your electric usage. He may also know of available rebates to help with the cost of improvements.
Not every improvement is expensive. Walk around and look for leaking doors and windows. I often visit churches in cold climates and see gaps around doors letting cold air in. An inexpensive weather strip is easy to install and will help reduce utility bills.
Don’t forget the baptismal tank. Do you keep it heated 24/7 or is it on a timer? Does it have a cover to keep the heat in? One church we work with found that just by making sure the tank heater was turned off after each service saved them over $500/month.