Portage, WI – When the FOCUS ON ENERGY® Community Small Business Offering (CSBO) team rolled into Portage last year to preach the benefits of energy efficiency, they found willing listeners at CrossPoint Assembly of God Church. The church had already started upgrading to smart thermostats and replacing older fluorescent lights with LEDs.
“We [had] done as much as possible in our worship area,” says Lead Pastor Rev. Randy Mantik. “But the major portion of our building is fluorescent bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs and ballasts that seemed to constantly need replacing.”
Church staff explained to energy advisors from Focus on Energy that they knew they could buy more efficient lights, but the upfront cost of replacing 375 fluorescent lamps all at once was too much. Then they were told the CSBO included the normal Focus on Energy incentives plus a 50-percent bonus incentive for qualifying energy efficiency projects completed before the end of 2018.
The bonus money convinced the church to install direct wire LED lamps and replace the lights in an exterior sign, as well as replace its three remaining programmable thermostats with Nest smart thermostats.
“It was a decision we didn’t want to make, but couldn’t afford not to make,” says church member Dan Jones. “Being a nonprofit, we don’t have a lot of budget for large projects, so Focus on Energy did their job of convincing us to make that jump. It was a leap of faith, which our organization thrives on.”
The church qualified for a $2,002 incentive from Focus on Energy, but the 50-percent CSBO bonus brought the total to $3,003. The energy efficiency upgrades, completed in December, are estimated to save 15,867 kilowatt hours of electricity and 252 therms of natural gas per year, which equates to $1,913.20 in saved energy costs.
“The lights were replaced quickly and the increase in the brilliance of lighting was greatly noted. It’s hard to believe that these bulbs [use] significantly less energy than those that they replaced,” says Rev. Mantik.
“Thanks to Focus on Energy, we have identified additional areas to target for energy savings, the biggest of which is our parking lot dusk-to-dawn lighting,” Jones adds. “We would like to thank Focus on Energy for the information, guidance and financial incentive in our process to become more energy efficient. Our Focus on Energy rep was a great resource!”
CrossPoint Assembly of God Church is a customer of Alliant Energy, one of the 107 Wisconsin utilities that fund and participate in the Focus on Energy program. Customers of those utilities are eligible for the energy expertise and financial incentives Focus on Energy offers to businesses, homeowners, non-profits, farms, schools and local governments. The most recent independent evaluation found every $1 invested in Focus on Energy programs creates $5.93 in benefits for Wisconsin, including economic benefits, reduced energy costs, and reduced pollution.
About Focus on Energy
Focus on Energy is Wisconsin utilities' statewide energy efficiency and renewable resource program funded by the state's investor-owned energy utilities and participating municipal and electric cooperative utilities. Focus on Energy works with eligible Wisconsin residents and businesses to install cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Focus on Energy information, resources and financial incentives help to implement projects that otherwise would not be completed. Its efforts help Wisconsin residents and businesses manage rising energy costs, promote in-state economic development, protect our environment and control Wisconsin's growing demand for electricity and natural gas. For more information call 800.762.7077 or visit focusonenergy.com.
About CrossPoint Assembly of God Church
CrossPoint exists to honor and glorify God by obeying Jesus' command to make disciples of all people. The church does this through its mission statement: Loving and serving Jesus, our community and the world.
