With so much to give, the nuns of The Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary don’t ask for much in return. They devote themselves to contemplation, prayer and penance, living peacefully at a hilltop monastery in Summit, New Jersey. Thousands visit every year, to pray, visit the chapel and view a circa 1642 replica of the Shroud of Turin that was once draped on the real Holy Shroud.
However, like many buildings of its era, the 1939 monastery was difficult to heat in the winter and cool in the summer. Vanguard Building Solutions stepped in to address these issues, providing energy and financing solutions to make the building more comfortable and environmentally friendly in an affordable way.
Modern Energy Solutions for a Historic Building
Today, the 217,000-square-foot building is fitted with high-efficiency heating and cooling systems and new LED lighting. “Nearly 75% of the project was completely paid for by utility incentives, and the balance was supported with 0% interest financing,” explains Matt Lima, Vanguard’s Senior Director of Utility and Energy Programs. “It’s gratifying to help a nonprofit like The Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary, knowing that funds once used to pay energy bills can be redirected to the organization’s sacred mission.”
Initially, the nuns reached out to their utility, Jersey Central Power & Light, which recommended Vanguard through its Small Business Direct Install Program.
A Vanguard site assessment uncovered many issues. For example, the choir room HVAC system often malfunctioned, and the library’s refrigerant-type cooling system was well past its useful life, failing to effectively cool or heat an adjacent office. In the chapel, only ceiling fans were used for cooling, and they were woefully inadequate, especially during summer heatwaves.
Implementing Energy Efficiency Upgrades
To remedy these problems, Vanguard replaced the old equipment with Carrier mini-split heat pumps that include smart technology to monitor heating and cooling cycles. These heat pumps use electricity to move heat from one place to another and are more energy efficient than traditional air conditioners and furnaces, often saving 20%-30% on energy consumption. Another energy-conservation measure was the installation of a fuel-use economizer for the boiler, which captures lost steam and returns it to the boiler to heat the water, saving on energy.
A Brighter, More Efficient Future
“The beauty of these incentives is that in many cases, the energy upgrades will immediately lower clients’ monthly energy costs with the savings often greater than the fixed monthly finance payment,” explains Lima. “Another advantage is that clients can often maximize the available incentives by bundling energy-saving measures. In this case, much of the lighting around the monastery had yet to be converted to LED and we were able to add lighting to the scope of work.”
Today, the Monastery has new LED lighting throughout, including in the dormitories, choir room and soap room, where the nuns make homemade soaps, candles, hand cream and lip balm for sale. With the new lighting, heat pumps and fuel economizers, it’s estimated that Our Lady of the Rosary will save about $15,750 annually in energy costs—funds that can be redirected to serve the organization’s important mission.
If you are involved with a New Jersey nonprofit that is looking to save on energy costs and reduce its carbon footprint—affordably—contact Vanguard Building Solutions today.