UMCG has a long history of being friendly to the environment and doing what it can to care for the planet, but this year they completed their greatest “Creation Care” project yet – they finished transforming their old, traditional HVAC system into a geothermal one and upgraded their surrounding landscaping to be more environmentally friendly. As Rolland Lang, an active member of UMCG's Creation Care team and current Treasurer, explains it, “it all came down to a matter of timing and the church’s willingness to think outside the box.” Faced with $2500 a month in electricity bills and aging HVAC equipment that could no longer sustain the church, a group of UMCG members were inspired after attending their Conference’s “Green Fair” where they learned of Euclid Avenue UMC’s installation of a ground-based geothermal HVAC system and rooftop solar system. The group learned that the geothermal system and solar panels had reduced Euclid Avenue’s gas and electricity costs by about sixty-six percent and were very inspired. 

“We were pleased to discover that geothermal would be feasible at UMCG: giving us more flexibility in heating & cooling, significant operational cost savings, improving our impact on the environment, and would cost the same as replacing our old system. And the rest, as they say, is history!” explained Lang. 

UMCG's building has some unique challenges. First, the church comprises a series of additions spanning 150 years. The conventional system, including a converted oil-burning forced air system they called “The Beast,” was not at all efficient. Second, the systems were not zoned appropriately, and the estimates from conventional HVAC contractors were remarkably high. “Trying to make a new system work together using conventional units to replace “The Beast” would be impossible. That’s where geothermal came in,” explained Tony Zefron, the church’s project manager. 

Geothermal technology uses a series of well loops outside the building to bring coolant into heat pumps located throughout the church. For summer air conditioning, the coolant, at a steady 56 degrees, allows the heat pumps to use just the fan inside of it to cool the air as it blows across the coils. The coolant warms up in this process but is then pumped back into the loop and deep into the wells to cool back down to 56 degrees. In the winter, the loops produce heat by recirculating the coolant within the indoor system. Each time the coolant recirculates, it becomes hotter, and the fan blows across the hot coils to warm the room. 

UMCG’s situation is even more unique because it does not own much land around the church. This forced them to dig 12 wells, over five hundred feet deep, which is much deeper than normal, and supply chain issues and labor shortages made the drilling take twice as long as planned. The project was finally complete after two months of calibration and adjustments. “We are pleased with the way the system has been working and the savings in utility costs. Our gas provider thought our gas meter was broken because we were using no gas. The only natural gas usage in the church now is at the stoves in the kitchen,” added Trustees Chair Ron Donovan. 

The church was prepared for major landscaping restructuring and Creation Care suggested a more “native” approach. The team was essential in helping the church decide how to rebuild the landscaping after months of trenching, adding irrigation for sustainability and Dark Sky outdoor lighting, which is designed to direct light to the ground instead of the sky to reduce light pollution. “We saw this as an excellent opportunity to replant with drought-resistant natives. Our Church grounds will be an oasis for birds and pollinators such as bumble bees and butterflies. It will also highlight the beauty of native plants and demonstrate how well they work in an urban setting. We are hoping that UMCG members and neighbors will be inspired and plant natives in their own gardens!” said Fran Manos, a member of the Creation Care Team. 

The church is grateful for the initial inspiration and education at the NIC’s “Green Fair,” years ago, and the promise the United Methodist church has made to protect our planet. Another CC Team member, and now-Director of Operations at UMCG Carolyn Burnham sums it up well: “I was and continue to be inspired by the commitment of our conference’s leadership to bring churches together to help us all get on the path to being more sustainable together.”

“Geothermal technology works and is a perfect alternative to conventional HVAC systems. If your church has an antiquated, inefficient system or your building is a montage of additions to the original structure like ours, it is well worth the effort to look into geothermal when updating or replacing the HVAC,” said Zefron.