Imagine sitting beneath a bright blue summer sky, feeling the sun warm your skin while a gentle breeze cools your face.  Imagine the hum of conversation among friends bolstered by the delicate murmur of a small stream.  Imagine the sweet aroma of spring flowers and the vibrancy of nature all around you.  Now imagine this Environment inside your church building at your next worship service – in your sanctuary, your fellowship hall, and your classrooms.

The spaces inside most church buildings typically exist in isolation.  Stained glass windows and thick stone walls provide a space for silence and contemplation.  As beautiful as these spaces may be, they are often starved for natural light, lack operable windows and are devoid of any connection to nature.  As Christians, we are often staunch defenders of Intelligent Design, but neglect or disregard the creation He intelligently designed.  As one of the first responsibilities given to mankind, the care of God’s creation should not be taken lightly.  The earth is a testimony of God’s love and power (Psalm 19: 1-4), and true worship should reflect God’s creation masterpiece.  As followers of Christ we are called to care for the poor and the needy (Mt. 25:37-40), a group that suffers greatly from pollution and environmental degradation, as evidenced by Hurricane Katrina.

What does it mean to have an environmentally friendly church facility?  A sustainable, “green” building produces as much or more energy than it uses, makes use of solar energy for lighting and heating, and utilizes operable windows for ventilation and cooling.  These buildings are often constructed of locally available, sustainable materials while avoiding materials and construction processes that are harmful to the Environment.  How do you know if you have a “green” building?  LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an organization that provides guidance in the production of sustainable buildings.  A building may achieve a silver, gold, or even platinum rating, depending on its level of environmental proficiency.  As of the publishing date of this article, there is only one LEED-certified church in America – your upcoming facility expansion could be the next one.   Although many buildings seek LEED-certification in an effort to garner tax relief, churches may wish to be LEED-certified to tangibly illustrate their commitment to environmental responsibility. 

A common misconception is that green-buildings are more expensive than their energy-hoarding counterparts.  However, a long-term analysis that includes a building’s operating, energy, and maintenance costs along with the cost of initial construction and occupant health care, shows that green buildings are much more economically efficient than standard construction.  As congregants strive for the ultimate ministry bang for their charitable buck, churches are often most concerned with initial construction cost.  In some cases, the initial cost of a green building may be higher, but in other cases it may be lower.  A sustainable approach relies on the integration of structural, mechanical & enclosure systems to achieve cost-savings.  For instance, the cost of the building enclosure (walls, windows, & roof) may be significantly higher for a green building, but this increased cost allows for the reduction or elimination of a mechanical system, decreasing the total building cost.  Although cost is often a critical factor, following God’s instruction and obeying his commandments are distinctly more important.  If He desires, God can easily provide the resources for the expansion of your facility.

Now that you are ready to “go green”, consider that there are many ways to care for the Environment, even if a building project is not in the foreseeable future.  Your church could start a recycling program, pick up litter in your community, or encourage congregants to drive fuel-efficient or environmentally friendly cars.  If you have any thoughts or questions about the Environment or green building, please do not hesitate to contact us at: WPH@churcharchitects.com.    We urge you to prayerfully consider a green building as part of your facility expansion.
 

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