emPOWERed – A Comprehensive Energy Program for Congregations Clean energy is our future and we are exploring today the technologies of tomorrow. As an organization, we address energy efficiency, resources for renewable energy, and energy policy. NCIPL wants to empower every congregation to do all they can to reduce their carbon footprint and move to clean energy. We also offer an energy analysis at no charge to faith communities, plus many other resources through our emPOWERed program. “You can’t manage what you can’t measure” is a phrase used in the building industry to illustrate that a building owner cannot manage the […]
Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Hayesville, NC wins national award for work at nexus of climate and poverty
Energy saving volunteers in North Carolina work at nexus of climate and poverty Community Inspiration Winner of IPL’s Cool Congregations Challenge Good Shepherd Episcopal Church Hayesville, North Carolina CO2 Reduction: 33 metric tons/year Prevents: 35,000 lbs. of coal from being burned Families helped: 40 and counting Percent CO2 Reduction: 10-20% per household A group of around ten climate concerned volunteers from Good Shepherd Episcopal Church and the Hayesville community are answering a combined moral calling to help the poor and be good stewards of Creation. Working with local poverty and charity organizations, they have helped 40 disadvantaged families reduce their […]
NC Faith Leaders Support Solar in North Carolina
Faith Leaders printed in the News & Observer Rev. Dr. Leonard H. Bolick Rev. Jonathan Brake Rev. Jill Staton Bullard Rev. Robin P. Coira The Rt. Rev. Michael Curry Rev. Richard Edens Rev. Keith Grogg Rev. Steve Hickle The Rt. Rev. Anne Hodges-Copple Rev. Joe Hoffman Rabbi Andrew Koren Friar Michael Lasky Rev. Dr. David Jordan Rev. Randy Orwig Rev. Dr. John Pollock Rev. George Reed Rev. Dr. Bill Reinhold The Rt. Rev. Robert Skirving Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Spearman The Rt. Rev. Porter Taylor Additional Faith Leader Support Rev. Jim Abbott – Asheville Rev. Stephanie Allen – Raleigh Rev. Jeanne […]
Financing Solar for Congregations
Seeing solar panels on a house of worship becomes an iconic marker to the broader community, a demonstration of the congregation’s love of the Creator and creation, and it shows a commitment to change our relationship to energy. It becomes a moral statement, a rejection of our use of fossil fuels and the implications of damages that such use brings to all in our shared earth community, expressing a clear commitment that the broader human community cannot ignore. NCIPL believes that it is important for congregations to be leaders in their communities by installing solar systems, and we are committed […]
Request an Energy Savings Analysis
Thank you so much for your interest in receiving an Energy Savings Analysis through NCIPL’s emPOWERed program. One of the first steps in requesting an NCIPL Energy Savings Analysis (Energy Audit) is to complete an Energy Analysis Application for Participation. Scroll down to complete theEnergy Analysis Application for Participation online. Make the process simple by using our checklist overview of the auditing process. Click here for a brochure that can be shared with others in your faith community. Invite other faith communities to your energy savings analysis using this sample letter. Email us at info@ncipl.org if you have any questions!
Energy Complementary Programs
National IPL has programs that complement emPOWERed Cool Congregations has many resources for faith communities including carbon calculators for individuals and congregations, cash prizes for annual competitions, and more. The Carbon Covenant is a program that works to preserve carbon sinks, primarily forests, in areas of the world most likely to suffer first and worst from climate change. The annual Preach-In on Climate Change happens every February and allows local congregations to join with faith groups across the country calling for clean, renewable energy policy. Duke Energy/Progress Small Business Program Duke Energy and Duke Energy Progress have a Small Business Energy […]
Energy Resources
The US EPA EnergyStar program has specific resources for congregations including a building energy performance rating system called Portfolio Manager. The rating system (1-100 scale) enables a congregation to determine its annual energy use relative to the energy usage of a large population of similar buildings across the country. The Portfolio Manager calculation process takes into account a building’s square footage, weekday usage, sanctuary seating capacity, local weather, and other factors that affect energy use. NCIPL encourages the use of carbon calculators to document both your baseline and your progress. This one has been refined over the years and is […]
emPOWERed
Energy efficiency is critical to solving today’s energy, health and climate-disruption challenges. The Alliance to Save Energy estimates that energy and conservation efforts since 1973 have saved us more energy than any single energy source, including oil, natural gas, coal and nuclear power, has produced. Projects that encourage “green” behavior do not have to be large-scale or expensive to be successful and have wide impact. Simple changes by church leaders and congregations can lead to substantial savings. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that if America’s 370,000 houses of worship cut their energy use by only 20 percent, they […]
Solar Clearinghouse
Seeing solar panels on a house of worship becomes an iconic marker to the broader community, a demonstration of the congregation’s love of the Creator and creation, and it shows a commitment to change our relationship to energy. It becomes a moral statement, a rejection of our use of fossil fuels and the implications of damages that such use brings to all in our shared earth community, expressing a clear commitment that the broader human community cannot ignore. NCIPL believes that it is important for congregations to be leaders in their communities by installing solar systems, and we are committed […]