In this time of rising temperatures and rising energy costs, reducing energy usage and carbon emissions is the most logical step. After all, Connecticut has some of the highest energy costs in the nation, as well as some of the worst air quality. In addition, Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, climate scientist and author of Saving Us, maintains that sixty percent of the U.S.’s carbon emissions could be eliminated with energy efficiency alone. Clearly, energy efficiency plays a critical role in addressing climate change, improving air quality, and reducing energy expenses.
Fortunately, the Sponsors of Energize ConnecticutSM offer incentives and provide consumers, businesses, and communities with the resources and information they need to make it easy to save energy and build a clean energy future. There are energy efficiency programs to help save money and energy in buildings of every type from single-family homes, apartments, schools, large commercial facilities, small businesses, and houses of worship – to name a few.
If your house of worship would like to reduce energy costs, your leadership team should participate in the energy efficiency program for small businesses, the Small Business Energy Advantage (SBEA) program. SBEA provides a no-cost energy assessment with a qualified and verified contractor, who can offer significant rebates and incentives for energy efficiency improvements, as well as zero-interest loans to help qualified entities, including established religious organizations, finance these projects.
Qualifying for SBEA is based on energy usage; commercial and industrial Eversource customers that use less than 1,250,000 kWh annually across all their Connecticut properties, and United Illuminating customers with an average 12-month peak demand between 10 and 200kW are eligible for the SBEA program. Religious congregations instead may qualify for a special incentive offer within SBEA, called the Microbusiness Energy Advantage program (MBEA) for commercial customers with electric use under 100,000 kWh per year. Regardless of your electric provider, MBEA-qualified usage typically correlates with a business that is open a few days a week or a few hours a day – perfect for houses of worship! If your house of worship is eligible and qualifies for the program, you may be eligible for an instant rebate up to 80% of the project cost from your Energize CT Sponsor. You may receive an instant $16,000 cost savings for your qualifying religious community building depending on the size and scope of your project.
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Cheshire recently took advantage of MBEA. Having watched IREJN’s various webinars on energy efficiency, their environmental ministry team contacted with Energy Solutions CT from Shelton to do an energy assessment on the church. Dennis O’Connor, an Energy Solutions customer service representative, performed the assessment. As a result, St. Peter’s qualified for a $24,000 energy efficiency project, which included lighting and a special control for their HVAC system. The church also qualified for an instant rebate in the amount of $16,000, leaving St. Peter’s with only $8,000 left to finance. St. Peter’s leadership elected to go with a zero-interest loan financed on their electric bill over forty-four months. The energy savings is more than the cost of the monthly payment, so the return on investment is already apparent.
Learn more about what the Energize CT SBEA program can do for your congregation by finding a contractor at energizect.com or call 1-877-WISE-USE.
IREJN also has relationships with the following SBEA contractors:
- Energy Solutions CT (statewide, based in Shelton, CT)
Contact: Dennis O’Connor at doconnor@energysolutionsct.com
- CMC Group (statewide, based in Wallingford, CT)
Contact: Glen Forslund at gforslund@cmcenergy.com
- Artis Energy Solutions (statewide, based in Middletown, CT)
Contact: Kim DeRosa – 860-558-8328
- Paquette Electric (statewide, based in Pomfret, CT)
Contact: Ted Decyk – 860-234-8346 (preferred method) or tedd@paqelec.com
When you apply, you will be required to provide the following information:
- Your Eversource or United Illuminating electric account number
- Copy of the Tax-Exempt certificate for your house of worship
- Point of contact name, e-mail, and cell number (the person who would approve any work to be done)
- Assessment contact (the best person to accompany the technician to gain access to all areas and answer questions on existing equipment & hours of use)
- The main phone number for your congregation
- What is your heat source?
- If natural gas, you can send your congregation’s SCG, CNG or Eversource account number.
- If oil or propane, you will need to send copies of bills including the winter months.
Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to make your house of worship more energy efficient!
For more information about IREJN, please contact Terri Eickel, IREJN Executive Director at terri@irejn.org.
