Renewable energy
Synagogues around the UK have been embracing solar power for years at this point. This is because it’s a renewable energy source that helps protect the environment, and also helps to reduce energy costs.
Synagogues don’t tend to use exorbitant amounts of energy, which is why solar power is an excellent option for these organisations. These places of worship mainly only use energy for heating, cooling, and devices like projectors and speakers. While some synagogues do cook meals on the premises for those in need, the majority of them prefer to hand out food parcels.
This is why it is easy for synagogues to install solar panels and go off-grid almost entirely. Once installed, solar panels will cover the costs of both purchase and installation within a few years, as they will reduce energy costs dramatically.
In some cases, if your solar power system produces more power than what is needed at your synagogue, you can sell it back to the grid. This can be a great extra source of income for a synagogue that can be used to help more families that are in a bad financial situation and upgrade the facilities.
However, if your synagogue does not have the funds to install solar panels and a solar PV system, you should consider a solar thermal system instead. Solar thermal systems are only designed to provide central heating and hot water and are much cheaper as a result.
Energy-efficient lighting
Places of worship like synagogues need to be well-lit, as services are normally held in large rooms with high ceilings. If your synagogue is in an older building and makes use of incandescent light bulbs, then you can save some energy by switching to a more energy-efficient option.
Both compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs, and LED light bulbs are far more efficient than incandescent bulbs, and by replacing every bulb in your church with one of these options, you can save an impressive amount of money on energy.
Motion sensor lights are also great for areas that aren’t frequented, as they will only switch on when someone enters the room.