Albuquerque Baha’i Community

The congregation implemented energy efficiency measures as part of larger projects.  In the hospitality room we have 16 Led fixtures that use 36watts each. They replaced a similar number of fixtures that used the older fluorescent lights that took 80watts each. We also replaced 8 hall lights which were the older twin 40watt fluorescent fixtures with newer models that only used 35watts. Finally, I replaced two 80 watt light fixtures in an office with two 48watt LED fixtures.

The Baha’i center also replaced all the roof mounted swamp coolers with more efficient models. While it wasn’t part of any project,  Michael Prine personally replaced all the ceiling lights in two other rooms with CFLs and LEDs as the old ones died. The congregation currently has one mercury vapor area light, which will be eventually replaced with an LED unit.Albuquerque Mennonite Church

Bethany Christian Reform Church (Gallup)

In addition to the solar project at Bethany, the Christian Reform Church in the region has been involved in supporting energy efficiency upgrades, including lighting at many of their missions in New Mexico and Arizona. they have also been engaged in education and advocacy to address climate change.

Awards

Bethany Christian Reform Church who won a national Interfaith Power and Light first prize in the Cool Congregation challenge for its creative solar array project and for its outreach work they are doing for energy efficiency in their outlying churches.

Camino de Vida Ministerio (Albuquerque)

This is a Spanish-speaking congregation comprised primarily of recent immigrants. A joint ministry of the PCUSA and the ELCA, it is the only all-Spanish-language mainline Protestant church in Albuquerque. The youth and adults have begun on their ambitious plan to restore the 3 acre property that was gifted to them by another congregation with a community garden that will provide fresh produce for neighbors in need, a food orchard, a space for outdoor bilingual worship, gatherings, and experiencing God in nature. The congregation is committed to making this green space a reality. They are working with many partners including New Mexico IPL, the local extension agency, ELCA and PCUSA.

Awards

Camino de Vida was a runner up in the Cool Planner category of of  Interfaith Power & Light’s 2022  Cool Congregations Challenge

Congregation Albert (Albuquerque)

Green Team

In 2011. the Congregation Albert board adopted a sustainability plan with the aim of continuing the work of tikkun olam by becoming a community leader in environmental education and action.  The plan reflects the Jewish values of the Reform Movement and COEJL (Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life). This mission, several goals, and many recommended projects are all found in the Congregation Albert Sustainability Plan. As result of its commitment to sustainability. Congregation Albert is fully solar, its  drinking water is tested and safe, energy and water saving appliances have been installed throughout the building and its grounds primarily use drip irrigation. The CA pollinator garden started in 2015 has even hosted a Monarch butterfly caterpillar.

“We have worked together to complete many projects that have made Congregation Albert’s building and grounds more sustainable. Our building is now solar, our drinking water is tested and safe, energy and water saving appliances have been installed throughout the building and our grounds primarily use drip irrigation. The CA pollinator garden started in 2015 has even hosted a Monarch butterfly caterpillar,” the congregation said in describing the plan on its website.

Awards

Congregation Albert won  national IPL Cool Congregation award in 2016 for planning, efficient, gardens in 2019.

Congregation Nahalat Shalom (Albuquerque)

In addition to its solar energy system, Congregation Nahalt shalom engages in a number of sustainable practices, including the collection of water and the use of xeriscaping and low-water use plants on its grounds.  Synagogue member Chuck Buxbaum explains in this video.

First Presbyterian Church (Albuquerque).

In addition to installing a solar system, the church has conducted lighting upgrades.

First Unitarian Church (Albuquerque)

In addition to installing solar energy, the congregation has a variety of building and grounds efforts to care for creation from efficiency, landscape, and a  LEED certified sanctuary that helped their campus earn a LEED Platinum status which was celebrated as the sanctuary was dedicated in 2013. Here is their story.

Very early in the design process, 30+ members participated in a LEED design charrette – a guided brain-storming discussion of what our goals and dreams were for the new sanctuary.

Features of the campus:

  • The project’s landscape design included many native species that use less water. It will eventually grow to blend with our beautiful habitat east of the social hall.  Our existing Jim Lewis Urban Habitat provided points too!
  • Two city bus routes are within easy reach of our corner giving greater transportation access to all our members.
  •  In the sanctuary, we have window shades that automatically close when it is hot and open when it is cool to let in the warmth. Our new sanctuary roof is made of a material that reflects the sun, keeping us cool in the summer.
  • Our landscaping design includes a depressed area and water from our roof drains directly into it during rainstorms. This water eventually recharges our aquifer. Our new bathrooms include dual flow toilets. 
  • Our parking lot includes preferred spaces for those who park electric or hybrid cars.

 Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd (Silver City)

The church installed  energy efficient light bulbs. Parishioners also care for creation through their choice to do dishes by hand rather than use disposable dishes and cups at parish functions. Creating smaller eco-footprints takes place one small act at a time and one step at a time.

Holy Cross Retreat Center (Mesilla Park)

Planting a tree, Earth Day 2022

In addition to installing solar system, the center conducted energy efficiency upgrades and developed sacred grounds. As part of its Earth Day 2022 celebration, the center planted a drought-resistant red push Pistache tree to provide more shade for its outdoor labyrinth.

Norbertine Community of Santa Maria de la Vid (Albuquerque)

In addition to the Pope Francis Solar Field, thee community has  done energy efficiency work and with the new buildings that are a few years old they incorporated energy efficiency, water saving and xeriscaping. Their work assists their community to have a smaller carbon footprint and is a model for the many educational programs they have and for all who come to utilize their wonderful library and to pray or make retreat days.

St. Francis Episcopal Church (Rio Rancho)

Sanctuary

A full energy audit conducted in early 2019 recommended that lighting retrofits were the most practical and cost effective energy efficiency measure to pursue. The challenge was to determine how and by whom these retrofits would be conducted and how they would be financed. Parishioner John Templeton, who works for a lighting contractor, provided expertise on  the latest lighting technology and lighting retrofits.

The finance committee and Vestry approved the project on the condition that we obtain a $10,000 loan from New Mexico IPL, which was procured

South Parking Lot before

The retrofits were conducted in three phases (sanctuary, office area, parking lot) with the first financed through the operating budget and the second and third using the NMIPL loan.

  • Phase 1 (replacement of 55 incandescent bulbs) in the sanctuary and narthex was completed in Sept. 2019.
  • The second phase involved replacement of 75 3-ft. fluorescent bulbs (29 fixtures) with flat and strip panel LEDs, plus 6 cfls with LEDs, in the office area.

  • South Parking Lot After

  • Phase 3 involved replacement of 22 HPS bulbs with LEDs (17 fixtures) in the parking lot, plus 15 HPS entryway bollard lights with LEDs. The new lighting was controlled by a time clock to turn on from dusk to 11 pm, with a photosensor override and motion sensors that dim the lights to 10% illumination when no one is present.

St. John’s United Methodist Church (Albuquerque)

The St. John’s Food Ministry prepares meals for over 500 food- insecure adults and children in Albuquerque each month.  Food and Garden Ministry Director and Head Chef Tim Nuzum cooks meals that are supplemented by the fresh herbs and produce grown in the church’s garden. St. John’s challenged itself to build a garden on site to grow as much fresh produce as possible to offset the costs, financially and environmentally, of driving to stores or ordering produce for delivery to feed those in need. “This challenge included the need for empty plots of land to have landscape fabric removed, large areas of ground leveled, hoop houses built, raised beds constructed, cubic yards of soil delivered and distributed, automatic irrigation systems installed, fences and a ramp constructed, compost bins bought or constructed, and hundreds of seeds planted,” said  Nuzum.

Awards

St. John’s United Methodist Church was the 2022 winner of the Sacred Grounds Steward category of  Interfaith Power & Light’s Cool Congregations Challenge for their newly constructed food gardens that feed over 500 food-insecure adults and children each month, and their educational outreach to their neighborhood.

St. John XXIII Catholic Community (Albuquerque)

As part of a remodeling of the sanctuary, St. John XXIII Catholic Community replaced light fixtures with energy-efficient lights. A team of garden volunteers tends several raised beds with produce to add to the offerings provided by the church pantry. The 40 or so individuals who come to the pantry on Thursday mornings are pleased to have access to squash, tomatoes, green chile and other peppers.

St. Mary’s Mission (Tohatchi)

Mother Earth Greenhouse 

In addition to installing solar power, the mission–with the help of volunteers , retrofotted a gutted mobile home with greenhouse plastic side walls and roof to become the growing habitat for food for the community. The little mission with its ongoing efforts adds reality to the Canticle of St. Francis, “Praise be you God…especially Brother Sun…. Praise be you my God through Sister Mother Earth who sustains and governs us…”.

St. Therese School  (Albuquerque)

Over the years the school has installed efficient furnaces, coolers and other means to save energy. In 2012 they undertook the enormous task of getting rid of heat producing asphalt.

Turning the area in to a playground and gardens was a delight for the younger children and the plants that now have a home to grow. The principal, Donna Illerbrun continues to work to get a greenhouse on the property in growing order, the school has been working with students on energy efficiency and they have a goal to install solar panels. With persistence, little by little the students are St. Theresa are learning the ways of stewardship.

Students took park in a tree planting in the spring of 2013 and the school began a campaign to raise money to get solar panels on their school within the year.

First Presbyterian Church (Taos)

The name John Gaw Meem has become synonymous with Spanish-Pueblo Revival architecture. His public buildings and churches are revered for their simplicity and respect for the heritage of New Mexico. Completed in 1952, First Presbyterian Church of Taos is Meem’s northernmost church in New Mexico. It has been called one of his most successful because it is the simplest, yet most monumental of all of his ecclesiastical designs.

Over the years, small changes have been made at the church, but the general features have remained untouched. Recently, the church has undertaken the delicate assignment of updating the sanctuary to be more energy efficient and compatible with today’s style of worship while preserving and even restoring many of Meem’s original design features.

Great care has been taken to respect Meem’s sense of proportion and attention to detail. After research into Meem’s original paint scheme, the design committee decided to restore the Chancel’s accent wall as a dramatic feature of the sanctuary. Updating also includes a new sound system, enhanced and energy efficient lighting, new low emission carpet and new double paned windows in the Sanctuary.

United Church of Santa Fe (Santa Fe)

In addition to its solar energy system, extensive education and policy advocacy are also part of the church’s Earth Ministry, which has been enhanced by their participation in Green Faith certification program.

The church has installed an extensive system to preserve water in their facilities/

Awards

The church was named a runner-up in 2019 IPL Cool Congregations  awards for its landscape work.