The first step is to assess the building in order to understand its performance and energy usage. Management guru Peter Drucker is often quoted as saying, ‘You can’t manage what you can’t measure’. Knowing the impact of what we are doing as a church can help identify what is an appropriate level of resource or what reasonable steps we might take to reduce our impact.
360 Carbon by Climate Stewards is an online tool that can calculate the operational carbon footprint for the building. For churches working towards an Eco Church award, footprintr.me by Climate Stewards is a tool members of the congregation can use to measure their individual carbon footprints. Eco Church have produced guidance on Carbon Footprint Measurement and Offsetting to help think through the issues.
Before you begin, you will need to following information to hand:
The Utility Bills
You will need the bills from the gas, electric, oil or whichever fuel you use for the previous calendar year.
The Floor Area of the Church
Some churches have already calculated this. If in doubt, you could contact your Quinquennial Inspector or local Surveyor to assist. Here are some estimations to assist:
- The average church is between 300m2 and 400m2
- 75% of churches are between 200m2 and 700m2
- A particularly large church (largest 10%) will be larger than 750m2
- A particularly small church (smallest 10%) will be smaller than 160m2
The Average Occupancy of the Building
- Sundays and Special Services
- Average attendance at Sunday Services, Special Services
- Number of Sunday Services and Special Services per year
- Average time spent in the building for Sunday and Special Services
- Weekdays
- Number of different activities held in the building
- Number of weeks per year activities run
- Average number of people who use the building
- Average time spent in the building during these activities
- Staff
- Number of staff
- Number of weeks per year that staff work
- Average time spent in the building per week
Operational carbon (what is typically measured in a carbon footprint) is the carbon emitted in the day-to-day running of a building while embodied carbon is the carbon emitted during construction of a building. Please note that although our historic buildings may have a higher operational carbon footprint, their embodied carbon footprint is very low as they are still fulfilling the original purpose for which they were built.
1. Further Resources
Occupancy Profile will help you track who uses the building
Types of Energy Meters will help you identify the different types of meters and ensure that accurate readings are taken
2. Case Studies
St Cuthbert's Croxteth Park (Church of England)