Connecticut church finds big savings through energy efficiency

Walnut Hill Community Church in Connecticut implemented a long-term energy efficiency strategy based on a 2016 professional audit. The church focused on overhauling its HVAC systems, specifically at the Bethel Hall campus, by replacing outdated water chillers and boilers with a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) heat pump system and smart thermostats. These measures, funded through a mix of internal capital, utility rebates, and zero-interest financing from Eversource's Energize Connecticut program, have resulted in a 12% annual reduction in electricity and propane costs, totaling $18,042 in annual savings.

• A 2016 comprehensive energy assessment for the church's 130,000 square-feet of buildings estimated total project costs at $217,779, with projected annual energy savings of $53,353 and a simple payback period of approximately four years.
• The church replaced outdated water chillers and boilers at Bethel Hall with a single split-HVAC system and an outdoor Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) heat pump, which eliminated propane usage in that wing and led to energy savings of 22 percent.
• Between the 2016-2017 and 2021-2022 periods, the church achieved a 12% annual reduction in total energy costs, saving $18,042 annually through a 9% reduction in electricity costs ($10,865.24) and a 22% reduction in propane costs ($7,177.05).
• The upgrades were financed using internal funds, utility rebates, and zero-interest financing via the Energize Connecticut program provided by Eversource, including an on-bill financing program used to replace lighting systems over five years.

APA

Yañez-Barnuevo, M. (2022). Connecticut church finds big savings through energy efficiency. Environmental and Energy Study Institute. https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/connecticut-church-finds-big-savings-through-energy-efficiency

Chicago

Yañez-Barnuevo, Miguel. Connecticut church finds big savings through energy efficiency. Environmental and Energy Study Institute, 2022. https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/connecticut-church-finds-big-savings-through-energy-efficiency.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Yañez-Barnuevo |first1=Miguel |title=Connecticut church finds big savings through energy efficiency |publisher=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |date=17 November 2022 |url=https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/connecticut-church-finds-big-savings-through-energy-efficiency |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{yaezbarnuevo2022connecticut, author = {Yañez-Barnuevo, Miguel}, title = {{Connecticut church finds big savings through energy efficiency}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2022}, month = nov, url = {https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/connecticut-church-finds-big-savings-through-energy-efficiency}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }