Transcript Slide 1
The T’Green Olam Committee
(A few highlights)
• Helped raise awareness of environmental
issues in the congregation
• Planted a community garden
• Implemented green landscape management
and green cleaning practices
• Participated in political action as a community
(e.g. Anti-fracking in Trenton)
• Saved a lot of $$$$ on Energy Expenses
Think about the building
• Think in a different way about how space is
utilized. Conditioning spaces adds costs.
• Understand zones within your building.
• Schedule Meetings in smallest room that
comfortably accommodates the group.
• Are outside doors propped open during
events, school arrival hours, etc?
The “Restaurant” in our Building
• Catered events not
booked every week –
opportunities are
available to save energy
by powering down
equipment.
• Installed “pump down”
switches to safeguard
equipment. This was
our only expenditure
toward savings (~$500)
• We use a Google calendar to make info accessible to schedule
power downs and start ups of walk-in refrigeration.
Saving Energy
• Setback temperatures according to vacancy
• Move activities into a single zone when
multiple zones are conditioned (if possible)
• If a room is used 10 hours/week, make it
comfortable; you can save energy for the
other 158 hours of the week
• Collaborating with maintenance staff is key.
They are “on the ground”.
Challenges
• Maintenance Staff must buy in.
• Building users should understand their comfort
should not be impacted.
• Don’t rely on others’ sense of comfort – use
thermometers.
• Reinforce the goals: save money, better for the
environment, help secure energy
independence for the US.
The $$$$ of Saving Energy
• As a result of cutting our energy consumption,
and also lowering costs through a purchasing
collaborative, our annual energy outlays:
2007
$62,562.61
2008
$66,845.81
2009
$48,713.90
2010
$46,202.24
2011
$41,199.81
What the Contest Accomplished
• Raised awareness within the community
• Provided publicity for our efforts which
resulted in an article in local media
• Subsequent coverage in three more articles
• Greenfaith award, which generated additional
coverage
• Leveraged our work beyond our own walls
What GreenFaith Brought to the Table:
• A systematic approach to achieving goals
• Resources to help sort our community’s priorities
• Experienced leaders to nurture our motivation and
inform our pursuits
• Entry into a collective that amplifies the voices of social
justice and environmental stewardship
• An efficient mechanism for leveraging our work beyond
our own congregation.
• Wise and compassionate allies
Mark Niederman, LEED® A.P.
Email: [email protected]