Churches and buildings being used for worship ceremonies present very unique challenges for building automation, as well as great opportunities in the way of energy management. While churches often have large open spaces that require a great deal of energy to heat or cool, the main chapel or worship room usually only gets used a few times a week. A building automation system is a great way to keep occupants comfortable while saving money on energy.
Building Automation Is Too Expensive, Right?
As the cost of building automation equipment has fallen, the cost of gas, oil and electricity has risen. Most worship facilities would be surprised at how reasonably priced building automation systems have become in the last ten to fifteen years. Just like with a desktop computer, as technology advances and competition drives improvements of various electronic components, the overall price of building automation systems has been steadily come down over time.
Many churches and places of worship were too small twenty years ago to justify a building automation system, but rising energy costs is encouraging many organizations to rethink this assessment. If you have an HVAC system that runs continuously throughout the week, your building would likely see immediate energy savings with a building automation system.
Managing Energy In Churches, Temples and Mosques
Nearly all houses of worship have a large room or chapel where occupants gather once or twice a week. A typical schedule might have heavy use on the weekend with one or two evening services during the week. With a building automation system, large empty spaces will drain less energy when not in use, allowing maximum occupant comfort with the least amount of energy.
Reducing the Bottom Line Frees Up Cash
Raising funds at a place of worship isn’t easy, and any money freed up from operational expenses can be devoted towards fulfilling the organizations’ mission. As stated in an article from Worship Facilities, if your church spends $200,000 annually on utilities, but manages to free up 20% of that budget, you’ve got an extra $40,000 a year to spend in other areas. Maybe replacing outdated equipment, purchasing a new vehicle, adding needed staff or helping feed the hungry or other charitable work.
The Best Building Automation System for Churches
There are a lot of open protocol building automation systems on the market that work especially well in churches, such Distech Controls. We are particularly fond of using Distech Controls systems in churches, because these systems can be set up specifically to the unique challenges associated with managing energy in church buildings or other places of worship. Distech Controls' Smart Room Control Solution has a series of solutions that can improve the comfort of your congregation while reducing energy consumption.
If your organization has offices and meeting rooms that need to stay comfortable during the week, it's important to chose a system that will allow this level of customization, while maintaining appropriate temperatures in main chapel. Building automation systems can make all this possible, while reducing your bottom line.
Contact us to learn more about the unique building automation systems available for places of worship.
