Hope United Church located in Alvinston, Ontario has long been mindful of its energy use and heating costs. The congregation has taken intentional steps to reduce consumption including lowering the heat when the building is not in use, encouraging small groups to meet in members’ homes, and even having the minister and secretary work from home offices to avoid heating the entire building.
However, despite these thoughtful efforts, the aging infrastructure of the building made energy efficiency increasingly difficult. The steam boiler hadn’t had a major repair since 1985, and the original steam pipes, dating back to a 1926 addition were beginning to fail. New leaks occurred each year at great expense to repair. It became clear to the congregation that it was time to replace the outdated system.
Addressing a long standing issue
Recognizing the need to move away from its aging gas-powered boiler and steam heating system, Hope United began exploring more efficient and sustainable options. To assess the possibilities, they invited four heating contractors to provide quotes and recommendations for various replacement alternatives.
None of the contractors recommended a steam heat replacement. A key reason was the shortage of certified professionals in the area qualified to service steam heating. Instead, the church was presented with several alternative options, including a hot water piping system, a forced air furnace with new ductwork, and an electric heat pump system, each offering varying levels of efficiency, cost, and complexity.
The church selected an electric heat pump system with five independent heating zones throughout the building, recognizing it as the most modern and energy-efficient replacement out of the suggestions.
“While the quotes for each option were somewhat competitive, we had decided that a heat pump solution would be the best choice so that we can move away from fossil fuels. With nine indoor heat pumps installed we would also be able to heat the church in zones and only heat the rooms that are being used by the congregation”
Funding the heating replacement
To fund the replacement of its outdated heating system, Hope United Church relied on both external grants and the generosity of its congregation. The church received a quote from Handy Bros Home Comfort to fully heat and air condition the building using an electric heat pump system at a total cost of $57,880.86.
Hope United received a $30,000 Faithful Footprints grant to support the project. To help cover the remaining project costs, the church has launched a special furnace fund donation appeal, mailing over 100 letters to members and adherents. Many in the Hope United community had come on board to support the much-needed heating upgrade following an announcement from the pulpit. A generous offer has also been made by a congregation member to provide a short-term loan to help manage any temporary cash flow as fundraising efforts continue.
“Although our congregation is small, we were confident that we would be able to raise the additional funds required to pay for the switch to green energy through a fund raising campaign within our congregation and the community”
Testimonial
“We are delighted to have worked with Faithful Footprints to replace our steam boiler system with a completely new heat pump system. After accumulating some memorial donations that were earmarked for building improvements, in January 2023, our congregation requested that the Official Board look for energy saving improvements to the church. Initially the focus was to look at increasing the insulation in the building. While looking for financial assistance, we came across the Faithful Footprints grant program and it changed our perspective. With a grant available through the United Church of Canada program, we were able to install heat pumps.”