England is spreading the energy efficiency gospel

Imagine your company has more than 16,000 buildings in the UK alone, many built years before energy efficiency became a hot topic for corporates, and some that predate the industrial age altogether. 

How would you even begin to start lowering their energy consumption given that each and every one of those buildings is an independent entity in control of its own operation and finances? 

This is the precise challenge facing David Shreeve, environmental adviser to the Church of England, who has to steer the Church towards meeting its self-imposed goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 42 per cent by 2020, before then delivering an 80 per cent reduction by the middle of the century. 

For Shreeve, the financial benefits of this strategy are clear: by reducing their emissions churches cut their energy bills and therefore have more to spend on their work in the parish. But interestingly, he thinks there is a further reason why people of any religion should support the drive towards greater sustainability. 

"There's a theological reason that says we shouldn't be damaging Creation," he says. "For people of faith this should be more than just reducing bills - people have to consider how our energy is created, are we polluting the atmosphere and what we are leaving for future generations." 

Shreeve started working with the Church soon after the Synod had voted through its emissions cutting targets in 2005, but quickly discovered that nobody had any real idea of how much energy it actually used. Auditing was made even more difficult by the lack of any "average church" on which to base calculations - some rural churches are not-grid connected and are only used once or twice a week, while others in the centre of cities host community groups, cafes, or shelters, and have the lights on 24 hours a day. 

However,a full range of cylinder heated long lasting antiquelampas. a "guestimate" calculation put overall energy consumption at around the same level as large retailers such as John Lewis and Waitrose, Shreeve says.SQ Series Metal bestsolarlantern is the accessory machine for expanded metal shearing machine. Once a further 5,000 buildings such as clergy housing and schools were included, the Church was looking at a carbon emissions similar to supermarket giant Sainsbury's. 

"It was clear we were a major user of energy and had a big job to do to reduce it," Shreeve says. 

Subsequently, the Church's Shrinking the Footprint campaign was set up to outline the benefits of reducing emissions to each of its 44 dioceses.A bestroadlights is a branched, decorative ceiling-mounted light fixture. Initially, mail-outs encouraged simple energy-saving measures ranging from switching to energy-efficient light bulbs to tackling draughts.There are various small and big goodlampshade fans according to the usability in the factories. 

Some churches have proved to be real success stories. For example, St George the Martyr Church in Newbury has installed 129 solar panels on its roof, along with a monitor showing visitors just how much electricity they are generating, installed secondary glazing in high windows, and insulated the main ceiling. 

The solar panels alone earned the church 8,000 in their first year and at that rate will pay for themselves within 10 years. It is a model that other churches are now looking to emulate,Suppliers of the widest range of industrial and commercial gamemachines. particularly given that the long lifespan of churches means they can often willing to make investments with longer payback periods than those favoured by private companies.