Two Cascade Churches Go Green

The Rev. Harold Lockett saw a demonstration on saving energy and didn’t waste time getting his church on board.

In 2007, Lockett, the then-pastor of Absalom Jones Chapel Student Center & Chapel, paid $100 to get an energy audit of his church at 807 Fair St.

From room to room, the auditor with Georgia Interfaith Power & Light (GIPL) covered the 10,000 square-foot building.

When he was done, Lockett spent about $1,800 making the changes that included upgrading the heating and air system, changing out the church’s 80 fluorescent light bulbs and replacing the mercury thermostat with one controlled by electronic.

“Overall my energy bill did decrease and I increased my energy efficiency,” Lockett said.

Lockett paid for the changes with money received through GIPL’s Power Wise program.

Absalom Jones was one of two churches in the southwest Atlanta area and one of 80 statewide that received matching grants through GIPL’s innovative program.

“They are a part of reducing pollution. It’s up to us to care for God’s creation,” said Lisa Frank, GIPL’s spokeswoman. “We need to do many green solutions to save our resources.”

Since 2003, GIPL has helped about 500 different communities of faith save on their energy bills and become “stewards of God’s creation,” with its energy audits, said Alexis Chase, GIPL’s executive director.

In 2010, with the launching of its statewide Power Wise program, GIPL has helped 80 churches pay for the recommended changes from the audits.

“Every congregation we have ever worked with is spending too much on gas and electricity,” Chase said. 

Now, many are forming “green teams” to make the changes happen. 

To receive the grant, which can be as much as $25,000, each church has to first pay for an energy audit that cost from $100 to $300 depending on the size of the church.

They have be able to match the amount of money needed to make the changes and they have to be chosen by a committee.

Absalom Jones received $2,500 and Central Presbyterian Church at 201 Washington St. received $9,063 to make its lighting more efficient.

The church also has installed solar water heaters, using a grant from The Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta and other financial support from parishioners.

“Central Presbyterian has a shelter that they run,” Chase said. “For the shelter, they have showers.”

Those showers now rely on a solar water heater, Chase said.

Frank said she has never heard of any other church using a solar water heater.

GIPL is part of a national organization with 38 state affiliates that work to help communities of faith. Some are lobbyists, others are educators.

Georgia is the only one to offer the energy audit, Chase said.