What is the
connection between our buildings and our communal life?
In every aspect of life, our actions demonstrate how
we praise God and care for his sacred gifts to us. Our
buildings can be a physical example of our respect for
His creation and our fellow creatures. By carefully
attending to the impact our buildings have on our
congregations and our communities, we can powerfully
communicate our love of God.
Over the past decade, individuals and organizations
increasingly have chosen to renovate or construct new
buildings in a manner that reduces their environmental
impact. Rev. Fletcher Harper, an Episcopal priest and
Executive Director of GreenFaith, an interfaith coalition
for the environment in New Jersey, says, "People of
faith have a vital role to play in the restoration of a
healthy environment."
GreenFaith
How do our church
buildings impact our congregations?
The average U.S. citizen spends approximately 90% of
his time inside a building. According to the Rocky
Mountain Institute, most of these buildings, as they are
presently constructed, have an enormous negative
environmental impact.
Every year, reports the Environmental Protection Agency,
building-related illnesses cost the U.S. economy billions
in lost productivity and result in the decrease of human
well-being from "sick building syndrome."
Of course, we will have buildings that are aesthetically
pleasing, but we also want a healthy interior
environment. Well-being and good health are enhanced in
interior environments that have a proper air flow, that
have a pleasing component of natural light, that reduce
particular matter, and toxic compounds found in building
materials. (You can scroll down to the section on Materials for guidelines
related to building materials that negatively impact the
environment of your building.)
How do our buildings
economically impact our congregations?
The church building is an emblem of our faith and
serves as the physical hub of our communal life. However,
when we spend too much money on building and maintenance
we divert funds from other projects which serve our
mission. The financial advantages of an environmentally
responsible building are great, especially for church
buildings which are generally in place for the long term
and will be used for many years.
A stable organization such as a church is an ideal
candidate for green building. The life-use of the
facility is likely to be under one owner, thereby
creating opportunity to realize maximum benefit of design
and installations.
Examples of economic benefits of
incorporating sustainable models into your building
project
How do our buildings
impact our communities?
According to the National Resource Defense Council, in
the United States buildings account for:
- Over 40 percent of total energy use, twice as
much as passenger vehicles. This includes 70
percent of all electricity consumption.
- 40 percent of global warming gas emissions
- 40 percent of raw materials use
- 30 percent of municipal solid waste from
construction related activity (136 million tons
annually)
- 80 percent of potable water consumption
- 25 percent of all wood harvested for use in US.
The enormous quantity of wood harvested each year
means that building construction often
accelerates deforestation, degrades habitat, and
worsens water quality.
- Poor people and people of color are
disproportionately impacted by the hazardous
industrial chemical emissions associated with the
production of common building materials.
Given the pervasiveness of environmental challenges,
the long reach of pollution far beyond its source, and
the almost daily appearance of unexpected consequences of
our actions, we urge you to consider the Precautionary
Principle when making your building decisions. It's
better to err on the side of caution when the
environmental and health impact of a procedure or
material is in question.
Precautionary Principle
How does a congregation
get to the point it has committed to an environmentally
responsible building program?
Rev. Fletcher Harper, Executive Director of
GreenFaith, says that an effective movement for
environmentally responsible program comes from within the
congregation. "Either two or three leaders in the
parish will champion the cause and carry others along, or
there will be a movement from the general congregation
upwards. In the latter case, a group might engage outside
help to present their case to the decision makers."
Conversation with Rev.
Fletcher Harper on convincing a parish to adopt green
practices
Once a commitment has
been made, what is the most practical procedure to begin the
design process?
The best opportunities to green your project will
occur in the early planning stages. Make experienced
green building professionals a part of your team from the
start. Invite the members of your building and design
team to come together early in the design process to set
goals and discuss strategies.
Set your green building targets early. The sooner you
define your goals, the further your dollars will stretch
and the greater your return on investment will be. While
the architectural costs of green design may be higher
than more standard approaches, creating a
high-performance design will lower your construction
costs, especially if you involve your contractor early
on.
Metropolitan
(San Antonio) Partnership for Energy / Build San Antonio
Green
Does the physical site
make a difference in planning a healthy building?
As your team begins to assess the site for your
building pay special attention to the location,
orientation, and shape of the plot or existing building.
Siting will have lasting impacts on the overall costs of
your projects and the aesthetic impact upon those who use
the building.
Site considerations
for green building
Is it practical to seek
green solutions for small projects?
Apart from the actual siting of a building, the
concerns and strategies for your project will be much the
same for new buildings as for modification of existing
space. Your congregation has a wide range of options for
making a positive impact on your building's environmental
footprint. Even if you are not making structural changes
or building from scratch, you can update systems,
equipment, and furnishings.
Whatever the scope of your project, you can identify the
areas where you feel there is greatest possibility of
acting or where you most strongly want to make a change.
After the siting and
design of a project where should the planning committee focus
its attentions?
You will find a huge range of possibilities for
greening your building in three areas of construction and
planning:
- Materials selection
- Efficient use of water
- Efficient planning for electrical systems.
How does the selection
of construction materials affect the environmental and health
impact of a building?
In selecting materials there are two arenas of action
you will want to consider:
- Reducing waste
- Choosing materials that do not pollute or
negatively impact the health of those who use the
building.
What is the role of
reducing construction material waste in creating a green
building?
Given that over 30% of landfill material is composed
of construction waste, a green building plan will include
strategies to reduce waste.
By using reused and recycled materials as much as
possible - during construction and throughout the life of
your building - you will save money and help conserve
natural resources such as wood.
Suggestions for reducing
construction-related waste destined for the landfill
How do the materials
used in a building impact environmental quality and human
health?
All materials you might consider for your project
exist on an environmental impact continuum of varying
positive and negative impacts on human health and the
environment.
Some building materials - such as arsenic-treated wood
and PVC plastic (also known as vinyl) - stand out because
they are directly linked to some of the worst
environmental health problems, such as cancer,
reproductive disorders and childhood disease.
Healthy Building Network has identified a range of
"worst in class" chemicals that are included in
product manufacture or that lead to their release in the
materials' life cycle.
At the top of the "worst in class" chemicals
list are Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxics (PBTs). A
priority subset of PBTs is Persistent Organic Pollutants
(POPs).
Simple Explanation
of PBTs and POPs
From an environmental health perspective PVC
(polyvinyl chloride or vinyl) is the worst plastic
because it poses unique and major hazards in its
manufacture, product life and disposal.
PVC has contributed a significant portion of the world's
burden of persistent toxic pollutants and
endocrine-disrupting chemicals - including dioxin and
phthalates - that are now universally present in the
environment and the human population.
When its entire life cycle is taken into account, this
seemingly innocuous plastic is one of the most
environmentally hazardous consumer materials produced.
Global vinyl production totals over 30 million tons per
year, and 75% of PVC is directed to building
applications.
Dioxins, furans and PCBs are the prime POPs connected
with building materials. Building materials that release
PBT's include polyvinyl chloride (PVC) based products,
mercury thermometers, lead solders and roofing materials,
and certain paints and finishes.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) refer to a large
number of chemicals that also of concern to human health
as they affect the indoor air quality.
Explanation of Vocs
Cement and concrete are
pervasive components in building construction today. How can
they be used wisely, and what are some precautions about
cement to keep in mind?
In terms of environmental advantages, concrete is an
attractive material: it is notable for its durability,
longevity, heat storage capacity, and, in general,
chemical inertness. For passive solar applications
concrete's ability to function as a structural element
while also providing thermal mass makes it a valuable
material.
However, the production of cement is very energy
intensive, in fact, one of the most energy intensive
materials used in the construction industry. Because so
much energy is required to produce cement, it is a major
contributor of carbon dioxide emissions into the
atmosphere. Experts estimate that cement production
contributes to about 7 percent of carbon dioxide
emissions from human sources.
To minimize environmental impact, therefore, we should
try to reduce the quantity of concrete used in buildings,
use alternative types of concrete, and use concrete
wisely.
Practical Suggestions
for Reducing Environmental Impact of Cement in
Construction
How can you identify
materials that negatively impact your building?
The environmental and health impact of our buildings
have important implications for the way we view ourselves
as part of the local and world community.
There are numerous sources of information about the
chemical components in building materials, for example:
The US Green Building Council, Healthy Building Network,
the Environmental Protection Agency. These organizations
and many others have websites that identify materials
containing chemicals you will want to approach with
caution. In some instances, there is a rating system from
most dangerous to less.
Conscientious planning in the early stages of project
development can specify alternative and safer materials.
Many environmental risk factors largely can be modified
by established, cost-effective interventions.
Design Strategies for Healthy Interiors
Healthy Building Network Guidelines for identification of
building materials that will negatively impact your
building in terms of environmental and health
considerations
Healthy Building Network
resources to help you understand and find healthy
materials
What are some basic
strategies for increasing water efficiency, both inside and
outside our buildings?
We live in an era of increasing climate uncertainty
and in Central and South Texas this often means drought
conditions and imposed water restrictions. Further, we
are experiencing increased pressure on our existing water
supplies by an expanding population which implies
increased domestic, commercial and industrial demand.
Therefore, the way in which we use this precious resource
is a standard of responsible citizenship, creation
stewardship and thoughtful consideration of others.
There are numerous strategies for increasing water
efficiency in our buildings. Any strategy which reduces
water waste increases the cost efficiency of your
building.
Holy Spirit in Dripping Springs has developed an
admirable water-use program, and St. Mark's Church in San
Marcos is incorporating many features in its building
plan. (Scroll down for statements and ideas from both
parishes).
Suggestions for
increasing water efficiency in your buildings
How can we design
energy efficiency into our buildings?
A wide-range of actions are available to increase
energy efficiency in your building, such as incorporating
natural light, orienting the building to the cooling and
heating needs of the building, and careful selection of
fixtures and systems.
Both the Church of the Holy Spirit in Dripping Springs
and St. Mark's Church in San Marcos incorporate many of
the features recommended on this website. Studying their
mission statements and environmental goals provides a
practical guide for getting a green building program
started.
Suggestion for increasing
energy efficiency in your building
Once the building team
has identified its goals for siting and design and has
defined its approach to building materials and energy and
water efficiency, what happens next?
To effectively bring together the elements of your
green project, you'll need to think ahead and coordinate
closely between multiple disciplines. Be prepared to make
the shift from the more linear building and design
process of traditional construction to an integrated
approach.
Throughout the course of your project, green building
experts from architects to lighting engineers can help
you overcome barriers, offer insights on economics and
marketing, and help you stay on schedule and on budget.
By spending a little extra up front to hire a project
manager with green building expertise, you can streamline
the design and building process and save yourself money
in the long run.
Examples of cost-effective
integrated design approaches
What does it mean to
estimate the "life-cost" of a building?
A stable organization such as a church can make good
use of a life-cost analysis (LCA) of construction and
maintenance, rather than a first-cost approach.
Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCA) is a term used broadly to
apply to any of a number of analytic techniques to
evaluate the environmental impact of a material or a
service throughout its life cycle from extraction or
harvesting of raw materials through processing,
manufacture, installation, use and ultimate disposal or
recycling.
As you value-engineer your project, examine green
investments in terms of how they will affect expenses
over the entire life of the building. Consider each line
item in terms of its relationship to other features in
the design. Many energy-saving features allow for the
resizing or elimination of other equipment. Often total
capital costs can be reduced by energy-saving elements
that will pay for themselves immediately or within a
relatively short period of operation.
US Green Building Council and Healthy Building Network
and other sustainable building organizations encourage a
Life Cycle Cost Analysis of any given building project.
Both USGBC and HBN offer resources for help assessing
life cycle costs, but their approaches differ. Review
their websites and resources in light of your
organization's goals and capabilities. As in most cases,
a careful comparison and adaption of some but not all
aspects of a particular system will probably work best
for your project.
Tools for
Life-Cycle Cost Analysis
Because of the long-term use of church buildings, they
are ideally suited to profitably incorporate many LEED
(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and other
sustainable building models into its design.
Just what are the US
Green Building Council and the Healthy Building Network? How
can they help with our building project?
USGBC and HBN are national organizations devoted to
promoting green building. They offer scores of resources
for your project, but their approaches differ. We
encourage you to review their websites and resources in
light of your organization's goals and capabilities. The
USGBC is best know for its LEED system of evaluating the
degree of a building's environmental compliance. In most
cases, a careful comparison and adaption of some but not
all aspects of a particular system will probably work
best for your project.
Healthy Building Network
U.S. Green Building
Council and LEED
Is there an
organization that is oriented to the building culture in our
diocese?
Yes, The Metropolitan (San Antonio) Partnership for
Energy / Build San Antonio Green is a relatively new
organization with offices and helpful staff to help you
with all aspects of your project. Especially noteworthy
is the display of alternative building materials and
design systems.
Metropolitan (San
Antonio) Partnership for Energy / Build San Antonio Green
Is there anyone within
the diocesan organization with whom we can consult about our
green building project?
The Environmental Stewardship Committee of the
Episcopal Diocese of West Texas will be happy to speak to
your committee or any other entity in your organization
regarding the practical, ethical, and spiritual benefits
of building with an eye to conserving creation and
promoting the health of all who use our buildings.
Contact: Hall S. Hammond, Chair
hshammond@aol.com
What are examples of
green building in the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas?
The Church of the Holy Spirit, Dripping Springs, is a
sterling example of a parish that has built with a
commitment to a healthy environment, beautiful design,
and respect for creation. St. Mark's Church, San Marcos,
is still in the developmental stage, and shares notes on
the planning process of defining objectives.
Sustainable
Building Practices in the Design of
The Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit, Dripping
Springs, TX www.dsholyspirit.org
Copy of
Objectives and Goals for Minimizing Building Impact on
Environment, from the Building Committee of St. Mark's,
San Marcos, Texas
The information contained herein has
been compiled and often directly quoted from websites of
the following organizations:
Build San Antonio Green
Environmental News Service
GreenFaith
Healthy Building Network
National Resources Defense Council
Non-Toxic Times
U. S. Green Building Council
World Health Organization
