Church sees new kind of light with energy upgrades

Rifle Seventh Day Adventist Church Elder Ron Cloninger shows off the energy efficiency improvements the church has done over the past year. Energy efficient indoor lighting combined with solar energy panels mounted on the church roof, seen here, dramatically cut the building's energy bills.

Cam Burns Special to The Citizen Telegram

Seeking to save money on their utility bills, church board members contacted Garfield Clean Energy and signed up for the Garfield Clean Energy Challenge.

As a participant in that program, they received energy coaching services, which helped them get lined up with a free lighting audit from Franklin Energy, the company that manages Xcel Energy's Small Business Lighting program.

The church also took advantage of a low-cost full-building audit that Xcel Energy provides its customers. The two reports indicated the church could significantly reduce its power consumption by turning down their programmable thermostats even more and installing more efficient lighting.

Unfortunately, the thermostat idea was a nonstarter, said Elder Ron Cloninger.

We would turn down the temperature if it weren't for the piano, he explained. Below 60, it goes out of tune.

That left lighting as the preferred target. And the church took the advice to heart, spending $5,404 on a building-wide overhaul.

In the sanctuary, energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs replaced the old incandescent lights. In the building's hallways, classrooms and restrooms, energy-saving T-8 electronic ballast lights replaced the old, power-hungry T-12 magnetic ballast lights.

Motion sensors in the restrooms now ensure that the lights come on only when needed. The church also upgraded its exit signs to LED models.

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Church sees new kind of light with energy upgrades