Second Elmhurst Church Improves Energy Efficiency, Saves Money

St. Peter’s United Church of Christ is the second Elmhurst church in the past few months to upgrade its energy efficiency, take advantage of financial incentives, lower its energy bills and reduce its environmental impact.

Late last year, First Congregational United Church of Christ also took advantage of ComEd energy efficiency incentives by replacing and retrofitting old and inefficient fluorescent light fixtures.

“If you look on your ComEd utility bill, you’ll find a line item listed as ‘energy efficiency programs,’” said Sumner Feary, Verde energy efficiency analyst. “Every customer pays into the program, and every customer should explore how they can benefit from the program. In 2024, ComEd has more than $450 million budgeted for energy efficiency upgrades.”

Elmhurst Cool Cities Coalition will host Shining a Light on Energy Efficiency on Tues., Feb. 6, 7 p.m., at the Elmhurst Public Library. Energy experts from Verde Energy Efficiency Experts will discuss opportunities for efficiency upgrades and the incentives available, and members of First Congregational UCC will share their experiences.

First Congregational UCC’s facility upgrades were estimated at $16,000, but after incentives, the church paid less than $1,500. The 31,000 kilowatts (kWh) of energy saved is equivalent to planting 355 trees.

In comparison, St. Peter’s UCC had an overall lower energy usage than First Congregational, so the anticipated savings is smaller. Even so, the 15,600 kWh saved is equivalent to planting 176 trees.

"Verde made the process easy for us," said St. Peter’s Board of Trustees Chair Dave Strauch and Co-Chair Frank Soldano. "They visited multiple times to test out lighting options, ensuring we were fully satisfied with lighting temperatures in each area. They went the extra step to put us in contact with another vendor who can check steam traps on our heating system to reduce our energy consumption in this area, as well."

Shining a Light on Energy Efficiency is best suited for businesses, non-profits, churches and public facilities interested in learning more about energy efficiency. Registering to participate in-person or virtually by visiting energy-efficiency.eventbrite.com.

To learn more about ComEd energy efficiency programs for home or business, and the new round of recently announced incentives, contact 855/433-2700 to speak with a ComEd Energy Efficiency program representative.

For additional information, contact Elmhurst Cool Cities Coalition: ecoolcities@gmail.com.