Resources provided by the Green Church Association suggested that churches in the United States can do more to advocate for more sustainable building practices. Mega-churches serving congregations numbering in the thousands are especially susceptible to inefficient operations – the process of heating and cooling enormous worship centers alone has huge potential for energy waste alone. Thankfully, congregations can deploy tankless water heaters as a means of improving sustainability when building a new church or renovating an aging house of worship.
Cutting-edge technology reduces waste
Churches typically have a mix of traditional and unique water heating needs. Bathrooms sinks are the most common point-of-use for hot water in worship centers. Larger campuses may also include a gym and showers, increasing the need for a decentralized approach to water heating. Water heating is also necessary for baptismal spaces where the pool must be heated to a comfortable temperature prior to performing the rite. Many of these points of use would heated more efficiently by an on-demand heater.
Each of these points of use have different peak operating schedules, so designing a one-size-fits-all plumbing and heating solution for an entire church campus may not be the most cost-effective (or waste-reductive) solution. Tankless hot water heaters can be easily scaled to meet the demands of a particular point of use. Often purchasing multiple tankless water heaters to serve different sections of the campus is more cost effective than investing in a gigantic reservoir water heater. Top tier tankless water heaters are 99 percent efficient, and installing the appliances at each point of use ensures that no heat is lost as water travels through pipes.
Compact construction for versatile installation
Department of Energy's resources for congregations noted that tankless water heaters can be a big help when it comes eliminating water and energy waste. Tankless models are also ideal for houses of worship thanks to their slimmed down design. In fact, tankless heaters are designed to take up just a tenth of the amount of interior space that a traditional reservoir tank might consume. In addition to taking up less space, the small dimensions of a tankless water heater are great for congregations looking to renovate small, aging chapels. Size economy is a must when trying to fit new technology around old architecture.