Stories from our partner congregations
The breezeway where Glenview UMC will install an air curtain wall to conserve energy.
Glenview United Methodist
United Methodist - Glenview, IL
Last winter, Glenview United Methodist Church (UMC) had high gas and electric bills. Too high. So for the last year, they’ve been asking the question: How can we make our building more efficient without the capital to start from scratch?
Once they identified problem areas,have forged some standard and not-so-standard solutions to their building's energy inefficiency.
What they’re DOING
Air Curtain Wall: Between the social hall and staff offices, there’s an unheated, all-glass hallway. Depending on the season, either cold or hot air seeps through the open entryway at one end, so they plan to install an “air curtain wall.” A motor blows a thin sheet of air straight down. The air barrier creates two separate temperature zones on either side of it. (Costco uses these in their produce areas.) With 8ft ceilings, purchase and installation will cost $1,000 - $1,500.
Solar Fan: Kitchen temperatures soar to 90-95⁰ during the summer. They hope to install a solar-powered attic fan as a background heat remover. In comparison to air-conditioning, the fan is an inexpensive fix ($400-500).
Radiant Heater: The sanctuary was constantly heated to 68⁰ during the week, though only in use for a few hours. They set the automated thermostats to 60⁰ and bought a radiant heater ($50-75). Radiant heaters heat objects, not the air, so people stay warm while the room stays cool.
Automated SetBack Thermostats: On the weekends and each evening, Glenview UMC’s daycare and preschool rooms hover at a cool 58⁰. At 6am each weekday morning, in 30 minutes—not 3 hrs., as previously thought—they’ve heated up to 68⁰, thanks to automated setback thermostats ($50-75).
What they SAVED
In November alone, electric usage fell 25%. The thermostats will pay for themselves in one heating season, and no one had to come in early to adjust thermostats (more savings!).
What they LEARNED
Board of Trustees member Bob Rowlands stresses that everyone using a facility has to buy in to energy conservation. To create that investment, one must educate building users about why certain practices are needed. Be patient; ask for feedback. Little experiments with changes resulted in significant savings for them. If you have questions about air curtain walls or any of these energy-saving steps,contact Bob Rowlands at 847-962-6333 or rrowlands@comcast.net.
