“Two are better than one, for they have a good return for their labor” Eccl. 4:9. That’s a basic principle behind our new initiative, the Church Energy Network. The Network functions by having many churches participate and providing them with our network of service providers. We start with services that provide savings for churches at no cost (tier 1), and range up to more significant investments with substantial returns over the long-term (tier 5). At all tier levels, we create the “good return” by combining many participants and / or resources.
Our first tier simply involves combining participants. With the deregulation of public utilities, individuals, companies and churches can choose their electric supplier and negotiate the best price. By combining groups of churches into a purchasing block, an even better price can be achieved, akin to the purchasing power of a larger corporation. Churches actually have an advantage over many corporations because the hours that they need electricity the most (evenings and Sundays) occur during off-peak hours for other electrical users. (i.e., offices, schools and other businesses that operate primarily from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday.) 
Most large electrical users even have two different rates that they pay; a higher rate for peak demand periods and a lower rate (about half) for off-peak periods. The off-peak demand churches represent, and the larger buying blocks we assemble, enable us to get prices for church electric supply that are significantly lower than most other users. By locking-in rates for one or two years, a church will also be protected from increases the utility may apply as electric rates rise over time.
When we began to work on the idea of the Church Energy Network, we met with the director of facilities for Cardone Industries (A-1 Automobile Parts), Ken Curry, who has instituted many energy savings initiatives over time. Ken is also vice president of the Greater Philadelphia Area Association of Energy Engineers, and chairman of the facilities team for one of our churches. He has tracked his own church’s energy use and through simple, low-cost strategies has cut their electric bill by over 30%. Ken was able to share with us his some of his basic strategies, and confirmed our idea to combine churches for bulk purchasing power. (He recently locked-in Cardone’s electric rates for the next two years.) Our connections with individuals like Ken, and forming strategic relationships with companies that have demonstrated experience in the energy field, enables us to provide churches with a diversity of energy saving options.
Energy Savings for You: Want your church to participate in the “Tier 1” energy co-op? Call or e-mail us for further information and to sign-up: 215-741-3200 / trp@ChurchArchitects.com
