The New Hope Baptist Church in Denver has reported significant energy savings after installing a new heat pump system, according to an April 18 announcement. The church made the change following the introduction of the city’s Energize Denver Building Performance Policy, which aims to lower pollution from large buildings.
The move is important as heating and cooling costs can make up more than half of annual energy bills for many property owners. Rising utility rates have increased pressure on organizations and homeowners to find more efficient ways to manage their energy use.
Long-time facilities manager Walter said he was initially hesitant about overseeing the HVAC renovations. “At first, I didn’t want to do it,” Walter said. “But then you see a $1,500 utility bill, and you think, ‘We really need to get that down! That money could be going to help people in our community.'”
With support from Denver’s Compliance Assistance Program and a city pilot program focused on heat pump retrofits, Walter and the Board of Trustees replaced five gas-fired rooftop furnaces with modern heat pumps. The new system has not only improved comfort within the building but also led to notable cost reductions. “I’ve stopped hearing complaints about the temperature,” Walter said. “You only hear about it when it goes wrong. So, no complaints is a good thing!”
Since upgrading its HVAC equipment, New Hope Baptist Church has saved over $6,000 each year on its energy bills. Encouraged by these results, Walter said they plan further upgrades: “We want to electrify,” he said. “When you look at the mechanics between a heat pump and gas-fired HVAC equipment, the choice is just so obvious.”
