Heating is the bulk of energy costs for the majority of churches.  Problems with inadequate heating, together with rising energy bills, make this a key issue for many church communities.

Changing your energy supplier
One of the simplest steps you can take towards reducing your energy bills is ensuring you are on the most competitive tariff.  You may wish to limit your search to renewable electricity suppliers for environmental or ethical reasons. If you are unsure, you can click here for the CofE view.  When choosing a “green” electricity supplier you should be aware that their credentials vary.

A number of businesses provide a price comparison service, for example Energy Choices.  Remember to ask for business rather than domestic tariffs.

Improving the performance of your existing heating system
Regular servicing of heating systems will help optimise their performance.  Heating systems also need to be controlled properly in order to maximise their efficiency. This may be a simple as knowing how many hours before an event you need to put the heating on (depending on the weather), and ensuring it is turned off again as soon as it is no longer needed.

If your church is regularly used, or you have a background heating system, you will need more sophisticated heating controls.  These should ideally be capable of turning the heating off automatically both when the church has reached the required temperature, and at times when heat is not required.

Most churches are poor at retaining heat.  Heat is lost into the walls and through the roof, and cold draughts add to discomfort.  The importance of improving insulation and air tightness increases the more you heat your church.  When a church is often used by a small group of people it is often worth exploring whether a small meeting room or chapel can be created within the body of the church that can be heated independently.

New heating systems
When considering a new heating system, bear in mind the two main reasons for heating a church building:
1. To keep the church dry and so protect the fabric of the building
2. To provide comfort for the occupants

Historic churches which are not in daily use will require a very different approach to heating to a private home or a re-ordered church building which has been insulated and is used daily by the community.

In winter it is not feasible to raise the air and wall temperature of an historic church to a comfortable indoor temperature for weekly use.  Instead, it will be necessary to use some form of instant heat for comfort and rely on background heat to keep the church dry. 

There are currently a number of sources of grant funding for installing renewable energy systems in places of worship and other community buildings, with 100% funding possible in some cases.  These could cut your carbon footprint as well as reducing bills.

However before pursuing a grant towards a particular solution it is highly advisable to assess your heating requirements and consider a full range of options for meeting them.