Walk-Through Green Audit

Faith & the Common Good’s Green Audit:

• is a fee for service offered through our Greening Sacred Spaces program;
• gives a broad, holistic overview of your faith community building, going beyond a traditional energy audit;
• helps you see the environmental greening opportunities in and around your sacred spaces and guides you on how to make changes towards greater energy efficiency, health and sustainability;
• involves a walk-through audit of your faith community building by a trained professional green auditor;
• takes approximately ;three to four hours;
• provides you with a comprehensive report tailored to your faith community, including recommendations for saving energy, money, heat, and water.
   

The video below, from NewsWatch@5:30 in Peterborough, shows highlights of a Green Audit at Beth Israel Synagogue.

What to Expect from the Green Audit Process:

An auditor will arrive at your faith community at a scheduled time. Faith community members and staff are encouraged to participate and gain hands-on insight into the process and the opportunities. Where feasible, a blower door unit will be used to depressurize the building to help identify air leaks. Our auditor will walk around the building outside and inside, room by room, and look at:

• where energy efficiency could be improved,
• where potential air quality concerns are,
• where water resources could be saved,
• where waste could be diverted, and
• where operations of the building could be improved to save money and efforts.
   

If grant money is available, the auditor will help explain these opportunities. Where other similar faith communities have had successes and challenges, the auditor can also make recommendations. The main purpose is to show you and your faith community members your building in a new light, from a more holistic perspective. Insights gained will help you with both short-term and long-term greening projects. The report will also assist with budgetary planning, in order to facilitate the decision-making process with a valuable, easily understandable tool for all to use according to their various interests, roles and responsibilities in your sacred space.

Testimonials:

“The audit was like an awakening. We actually have to do something about it!” — Rev. Monique Stone, St. James the Apostle Church, Carp, ON

“…please join us and other congregations across the country in the green audit…” — Rev. Gregor Sneddon, St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Ottawa, ON

The following video, courtesy of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa, shares the whys and whats of having a Green Audit.

Cost of the Green Audit:

• Buildings under 10,000 ft²: $1,250
• Buildings larger than 10,000 ft²: $1,750
• includes travel costs and final report
   

Additional Resources:

• one-page Green Audit overview
• audit decision chart
• audit comparison guide
• Anglican Church of Canada Green Audit report, completed by nine parishes across Canada in 2013
• case study of St. James the Apostle Church in Carp — they undertook Green Audits for all three sanctuaries in their parish, the youngest of which is 125 years old!
   

Contact:

If you would like more information on the Green Audit or to book an appointment, please contact

Building Audit Manager: Stephen Collette
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (705) 930-1011