See us in UU World!
UU World article on Going Green featuring our new building.
First in the State of Connecticut
We are pleased to announce that Unitarian Universalist Society: East has earned the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) ENERGY STAR®. See our listing for ENERGY STAR Labeled Building Profile.
Certification, which signifies that our Meetinghouse performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency. UUS:E is the first house of worship to receive ENERGY STAR certification in the State of Connecticut.
We improved our performance by carefully managing our usage and making major energy efficiency improvements during our 2010 renovation, which included multi-use space design, a geothermal heating and cooling system, extensive insulation and high-efficiency windows and lighting, and Energy Star appliances.
Buildings that earn EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification use an average of 35 % less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 % less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. According to EPA, a building that scores 75 or higher on the EPA’s 1-100 scale may be eligible for ENERGY STAR certification. Our Meetinghouse scored a 97 based on the 12 months ending in June 2011.
Former UUS:E President Jo Anne Gillespie notes that “through this achievement, we have not only significantly lowered our energy costs, but also demonstrated our commitment to environmental stewardship in keeping with the Unitarian Universalist principle of respecting the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.”
