Shortly before the pandemic, St. Mary the Virgin needed a new furnace. Replacing it was a challenge because the church is located in an area that has never been connected to municipal gas or water lines. The old furnace had an oil tank, but the parish wanted a more environmentally conscious alternative. An air-sourced heat pump turned out to be the solution. Not only does it provide heat when needed, it also provides air conditioning in the summer.
Janet Hope, a warden at St. Mary the Virgin at the time, explained that the pump was able to be shut off entirely during the pandemic so there were no costs and then when the church reopened, a technician brought it back online for a minimal fee of about $75.
Now when the church is not in use, the thermostat can be turned down very low to 12 to 15 degrees, which also reduces costs compared to the old system which had to be kept at a higher temperature.
Necessity has led to other green innovations at SMTV too. They have had a composting toilet for years, and although they have to buy drinking water, the church has used water from a rain barrel for other purposes such as watering the plants.
St. Leonard, Rockingham — Deanery of the Northwest