California’s continuing energy crisis has parishes, schools and more than 100 staff members at the Pastoral Center of the Diocese of Sacramento combining forces to dim the lights, adjust the thermostat and explore the benefits of solar technology.

At St. Philomene Parish in Sacramento, that means installing high tech photovoltaic solar paneling on the roofs of three buildings this summer.

For Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, it translates into a decision to install an efficient energy management system in the new science and math technology wing.

And at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, it means implementing a strict monitoring of overhead light usage and posting reminders to bypass the elevator for the stairs.

Tom Grant, left, a member of the finance committee at St. Philomene Parish in Sacramento, talks with Peggy Lesnick-Bortka, center, solar electric business consultant for SMUD, and Father John Hannan, pastor, about plans to install photovoltaic systems at church and school buildings. Cathy Joyce/Herald photo

Marilyn Overman, diocesan building service manager, oversees an energy conservation plan that has been in place at the two-story, 38,000-square-foot building at 2110 Broadway since April.

A conservation team involves assigning employees to monitor energy usage inside and out. The heat and air conditioning system is now off from 9:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. on weekdays and totally off weekends and holidays. The conservation effort has also included turning off all parking lot lights along Broadway in front of the center. Lights adjacent to the building are left on at night for security purposes.

The new procedure regarding outdoor lighting followed an executive order issued Feb. 1 by Gov. Gray Davis stating that “substantive amounts of electricity are consumed through unnecessary outdoor lighting” by retail establishments after business hours and encouraged “substantial reduction” of such usage.

The Pastoral Center’s electricity bill currently ranges from $3,000 to $4,000 a month with a 28 percent increase from the Sacramento Municipal Utility District in June. Overman said the special challenge at the Pastoral Center is that the building is open to meetings on evenings and weekends.

“It’s a seven day a week, 10 to 12 hours a day job to make sure we have crew coverage to look at the energy problem along with making people comfortable,” said Overman, who noted that the center serves several groups with special needs.

She said cooperation among staff members to conserve electricity has “been great.”

“Stewardship is present every day whether there’s an energy crisis or not,” she noted.

To explore alternative energy usage in the diocese, Overman, finance director Tom McNamara, Bill Sousa, social justice coordinator, and Bob Massa, finance consultant for properties management, have met with Peggy Lesnick-Bortka, a solar electric business consultant for SMUD. Lesnick-Bortka, a member of St. James Parish in Davis, is spreading the word to Sacramento-area churches about SMUD’s “Energy Savings Program.”

The program features free installation of photovoltaic solar panels that direct sunlight to convert light to electricity. After collecting payment determined by a meter measuring saved energy generated through a PV system for approximately 12 years, SMUD turns the system over to the church. Benefits of utilizing this alternative energy source, says Lesnick-Bortka, go beyond having control over the high cost of energy.

“Solar electric technology saves the earth by creating less ozone emissions,” she noted. “It is empowering us to use solar technology to save God’s earth.”

Over the past 18 years Lesnick-Bortka has represented 25 of the world’s largest energy companies in renewable energy usage in the Middle East, Africa and Caribbean countries.

Tapping into an economical alternative energy source is a natural for the diocese’s social justice ministry, which received a grant in January from the U.S. Catholic Conference for an environmental justice program to respond to the state’s energy crisis.

The $5,000 grant will fund the “Diocese of Sacramento Power and Light” project to “promote the use of environmentally friendly and renewable resources” in institutions and homes. Sousa says an 11-member energy committee has begun exploring ways to promote diocesan involvement in “caring for God’s creation.”

To that end materials on energy conservation guidelines are being sent to the 98 parishes in the diocese and site presentations are planned to promote alternative energy usage.

“At the same time we’re taking care of God’s creation, we should also be saving money,” Sousa noted. “The important thing is the less fossil fuel going up in the air, the better.”

Sousa has been recently named to the California Interfaith Power and Light steering committee, established to protect the earth’s climate by promoting energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy.

McNamara said a long-range goal is “to look at how to apply the (“Energy Savings Program”) to diocesan properties and informing parishes…about alternative sources of energy.”

Father John Hannan, pastor of St. Philomene, the first parish in the diocese to install the photovoltaic system, says the roof design of the parish’s meeting center, a school building and gymnasium suit the solar system to a tee.

“What SMUD likes about our parish is there are no trees, so the roofs are exposed to the sun,” he said.

Tom Grant, a member of the parish’s finance committee, sees a lot to like about installing the PV units.

“They are put on for nothing…our electric bill will drop,” Grant said. “It’s a win-win for the church.”

Lesnick-Bortka explained that since the SMUD program was first offered two months ago, 40 churches have signed up and another 80 are waiting in line.

Another likely candidate for photovoltaic technology is her own parish, St. James, which is in the midst of plans to build a 21,000-square-foot memorial center to house parish offices, meeting rooms, dining facilities and a gymnasium.

“We’re looking very seriously at solar energy,” said Father Daniel Looney, pastor, who hopes to break ground on the project in 2002.

Many parishes like Good Shepherd Parish in Elk Grove are trying to conserve electricity by cutting back on usage, but are also dealing with increased costs.

“We’re working in the dark here,” said parish secretary Denise Wesleder, who reports the parish’s electric bills have nearly doubled from $890 in April to $1,690 in May.

At Christian Brothers High School, president Mark Warren said energy conservation was a major consideration in designing the school’s new $7.5 million science, math and technology wing. The project includes 21 separate heating and air conditioning units on the roof controlled by a computerized energy management system, making possible separate temperature controls in all classrooms.

“Everything done in putting this building together was done with a view to being energy efficient,” he said.

For more information on energy conservations efforts, call Bill Souza, diocesan social justice coordinator, at (916) 733-0255.

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