Carbon Neutral Initiative at Good Shepherd

On Sunday, June 5th 2022, the Good Shepherd Congregation voted to go forward in partnership with Mission Green LLC on the carbon neutral initiative. Stay up to date on the progress of the project here, and learn about it below.

Mission Green: A mission with a company. https://missiongreen.llc/

LATEST UPDATE:

February 24, 2024

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Decorah, IA is one of 6 National Winners in Interfaith Power and Light’s Cool Congregations Annual Award for Leadership and Sustainability

Interfaith Power and Light Announces ‘Cool Congregations Challenge’ Winners as Faith Communities Prioritize Energy Efficiency, Renewables, and Sustainability

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 24, 2024

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Decorah, IA is one of the six national Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) 2024 Cool Congregations Challenge winners awarded a $1000 prize. The annual contest accepts applications from religious congregations around the United States who are doing work to address climate change by reducing their carbon footprint as they create models of sustainability within their communities.

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church won the Energy Saver Award for entirely eliminating the use of fossil fuels in heating, cooling, lighting, and powering their buildings. They have converted their building to all-electric, with heat pumps to heat and cool their buildings, powered entirely by solar on their property, preventing 25 tons of carbon emissions annually.

“Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and the other national winning congregations are casting a vision for the kind of world in which they want to live, and then carrying out that vision with practical actions that make a real difference in creating lasting solutions to climate change,” said Rev. Susan Hendershot, President of Interfaith Power & Light.

The Cool Congregations Challenge shows that people of faith are united by concerns about climate change and are taking action. The winners provide strong moral role models for their communities, and their activities have a ripple effect on people in their own homes, demonstrating that acting on climate is a moral issue.

“Iowa IPL congratulates Good Shepherd Lutheran Church on their well-deserved recognition for their work and commitment on prioritizing sustainability. Good Shepherd shows us all what is possible when people of faith come together and live into bold and just action on the climate crisis. They are a leader and will inspire other houses of worship to see what they can do,” says Deaconess Irene DeMaris, Executive Director, Iowa Interfaith Power & Light.

Interfaith Power & Light is mobilizing a religious response to global warming in congregations by promoting energy conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. www.interfaithpowerandlight.org Twitter: #CoolCongregations @interfaithpower Facebook: facebook.com/interfaithpowerandlight

November 30, 2023

Winter is now upon us. After the Thanksgiving snowfall, the new solar panels were covered with snow. When Mission Green’s solar output calculations were made, there was an assumption that they would be covered with snow for part of the winter. So, while we lose solar output during the winter, it is a part of the calculations made from the beginning.

The solar panels on the roof of the Education Wing will gradually allow the snow to slide off as they are set at a 10-degree angle. But, eventually, the snow piles up and can no longer slide off. Most solar gain is then lost until spring, but that is expected.

The solar panels on the pergola are a different story. The snow slides off because the bottom of the panels creates energy, which makes heat. The heat allows the snow to slide off the entire pergola array. There are no gutters on the pergola because the snow would build up in the gutters and not allow the panels to eliminate the snow, also eliminating any solar gain. The downside is that the sidewalk immediately below the south edge of the array becomes a skating rink of ice. This is by design. If the pergola array dripped onto the courtyard bricks, it would dislodge the chips between them. If it dripped onto the grass, it would create a furrow.

Consequently, we should all avoid the sidewalk along the south edge of the pergola array. It will be icy all winter as we get more snow. We will not be applying salt to the sidewalk as the acidic nature of salt will delaminate the new cement. It will take several years before the cement has cured sufficiently to consider salt. In the meantime, a bucket of sand is available to put on the ice if needed.

However, the best practice would be to avoid the south sidewalk and cut through the middle of the courtyard. The courtyard remained 100% snow/ice free following the last snowstorm and winds that followed. While it’s hard to say definitively, that will likely happen throughout the winter. Walking through the courtyard is also the route we recommend the Kinderhaus students use.

Mission Green would like to thank the congregation for their continued support!

Thanks for your continued support!
Jim and Liz Fritz
Mission Green LLC

November 9, 2023

Mission Green Project Update

Project Completion

The backyard reconstruction project was completed this past week of November 6 – 10. The dirt areas were roto-tilled, dragged, and seeded. The pollinator prairie was also planted and covered with a jute mat. The mat will remain for several years and eventually decompose. It will help germination and also prevent damage from deer traffic.

While we can’t stop the deer from tromping through the freshly hydro-seeded lawn areas, we ask everyone else to stay off the new seeding until the ground has frozen completely. We hope for moisture this winter and a gentle spring for ideal growing conditions.

Now that the backyard reclamation and re-seeding are done, the Mission Green construction commitment to create the Good Shepherd Carbon Neutral Initiative is 100% completed!

Energy Production

The solar arrays have been generating lots of renewable electricity. We’ve already banked over 14,000 kWh via net metering. Unfortunately, we missed some prime solar collection time during the summer due to our changed project timeline. The courtyard solar canopy was only connected to the grid in late August. Because of this, Good Shepherd made reduced payments to Mission Green during the solar array’s low production.

Mission Green Advocacy

As a Cool Congregation recipient, the Good Shepherd Carbon Neutral Initiative has received much attention. The project is currently featured on the Interfaith Power and Light national website: https://interfaithpowerandlight.org/coolcongregations/good-shepherd-lutheran-church/ as well as the Iowa Interfaith Power and Light website: https://iowaipl.org/2023/09/28/moving-the-needle-how-one-rural-congregation-electrified-its-building-and-secured-its-future/

Mission Green has also presented the Good Shepherd Church Carbon Neutral Project at multiple events. Here is what we’ve been doing!

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8/15/23 Winneshiek Energy District presentation and Good Shepherd tour

9/1/23 Benji Nichols/Inspired podcast – Rhymes with Decorah: https://benjinichols.podbean.com/e/mg/

10/7/23 Interfaith Power and Light tour of Good Shepherd Church

10/25/23 Interfaith Power and Light/UCC Church National Webinar – Holy Heat Pumps! webinar: https://youtu.be/PAPGpKA4xWo?feature=shared

10/31/23 email correspondence w/John Wilkerson re: Holladay UCC, Holladay, Utah re: efforts to install heat pumps/solar

11/2/23 Zoom meeting with Eli Sadow-Hasenberg re: Oberlin UCC church heat pumps

11/4/23 Citizens Climate Lobby National Meeting Webinar – Presentation and Good Shepherd tour

11/6/23 interview with David Mitchel of KKFI radio in Kansas City, MO

https://kkfi.org/program-episodes/a-spark-of-hope-on-the-climate-crisis-from-the-heartland/

11/8/23 Iowa Energy Summit: building innovation presentation for 50 energy industry attendees – sponsored by Iowa Economic Development Authority

11/9/23 Robert Wollenburg, building committee, Our Saviour’s Atonement Lutheran, NYC, reaching out for help with heat pumps

11/13/23 Zoom presentation & video of Good Shepherd Carbon Initiative project for NEIowa Citizen’s Climate Lobby

Jim’s KKFI Radio interview will be broadcast live on Tuesday, November 14, at 6 pm. You may listen to it online via a computer or smartphone at https://kkfi.org/, then hit the red “Listen Live” button. It’s a streaming service and will be archived at some time following the live broadcast.

People are amazed at what we have accomplished together. It’s a great model of success and motivates others. Thanks for your continued support!

Jim and Liz Fritz

Mission Green LL

October 1, 2023

Fall is in the air! The sun lowers in the sky. We will receive less solar gain because of the sun angle. However, as the sun continues its southward trek, the reflective courtyard will increase the electricity created from the bottom side of the solar cells throughout the winter.

We’re making multiple presentations over the next couple months about the Carbon Neutral Initiative (CNI).

Jim will provide guided tours of the Good Shepherd facility on October 7th from 1-4 p.m. as a part of the national Interfaith Power and Light National Solar Tour. There will also be a virtual tour component listed on their website.

Jim will also be a presenter for a national Heat Pump/Solar webinar hosted by Interfaith Power and Light on October 25th.

On November 8th, Jim and Liz will be presenters at the Iowa Association for Energy Efficiency’s (IAEE) “Iowa Energy Summit,” where they will speak on facility innovation with renewable energy.

https://www.iowaenergy.org/en/iowa_energy_summit/about_the_summit__more_info/

To aid in our presentations we recently hired a drone operator to capture the “big picture” of the Good Shepherd CNI project.

(photo credits: Nick Chill Photography)

COOL CONGREGATIONS

Good Shepherd is one of 3 congregations in the country receiving the InterFaith Power and Light national “100% CO2 Reduction – Platinum Medallion” award this year. Our story is on their website: https://interfaithpowerandlight.org/coolcongregations/good-shepherd-lutheran-church/

Our CNI project is also being recognized by the Iowa InterFaith Power and Light. You may view it on their website: https://iowaipl.org/2023/09/28/moving-the-needle-how-one-rural-congregation-electrified-its-building-and-secured-its-future/

We’re happy the word is getting out! Moving the Needle!

To save the congregation money by avoiding watering, we will restore the backyard grass and plant the pollinator prairie using a “dormant seeding” technique. In this method, the hydroseeding is done after the ground temperature is lower than 50 degrees. No germination will occur this fall, but with cooler temperatures and more moisture in the spring, the seeding will jump to life. This dormant seeding process will likely happen during late October/early November.

Thanks for your continued support!

Jim and Liz Fritz

Mission Green LLC

September 26, 2023

Jim and Liz Fritz have created a film to showcase the Good Shepherd Carbon Neutral Initiative. It may be viewed here.

Carbon Neutral Film

September 25, 2023

Now that the Good Shepherd Carbon Neutral Initiative has been completed, we can see more of the future regarding our energy usage.

We previously received Energy Star certification in 2012. That is now quite dated, and a new recertification request is underway. Energy Star doesn’t have a “Net Zero/Carbon Neutral” rating yet, but they are in the process of creating one. When it is available, we will apply.

Good Shepherd electric bills from Alliant have averaged $22.47 per month! This amount reflects the hook-up fee for the meter. We receive 110% net metering and send the excess energy we produce to the grid. There, it is “banked” to be used by Good Shepherd when the sun’s energy is lower (wintertime). We have already “banked” 14,520 kWh hours….enough for several winter months! Additionally, there is no gas bill since we removed all gas furnaces and the meter in January 2023.

We have had questions about the option of being totally “off the grid.” Keeping our meter connected with Alliant allows us to store all energy produced without a battery storage system. Using net metering on the grid is currently the most efficient path.

Efforts by Mission Green and Good Shepherd have recently been recognized by Interfaith Power and Light, a national organization whose mission is to encourage people of faith to work towards a sustainable energy future. The highest recognition of “100% CO2 Reduction” was given.

You may read the article about our project on their website:

https://interfaithpowerandlight.org/coolcongregations/good-shepherd-lutheran-church/

We received a certificate suitable for framing, window clings to place at our entrances, and a bamboo plaque that will be displayed. Here is Pr. Amy accepting the plaque and certification on behalf of the congregation:

Mission Green has been invited to present on the Good Shepherd Carbon Neutral Initiative at several upcoming events. Jim will provide guided tours of the Good Shepherd facility on October 7th from 1-4 p.m. as a part of the national Interfaith Power and Light National Solar Tour. There will also be a virtual tour component listed on their website.

Jim will also be a presenter for a national Heat Pump/Solar webinar hosted by Interfaith Power and Light on October 25th.

On November 8th, Jim and Liz will be presenters at the Iowa Association for Energy Efficiency’s (IAEE) “Iowa Energy Summit,” where they will speak on facility innovation with renewable energy.

https://www.iowaenergy.org/en/iowa_energy_summit/about_the_summit__more_info/

We recently hired a drone operator to capture the “big picture” of the Good Shepherd Carbon Neutral project. A video will be produced, with voiceovers, explaining what Good Shepherd Church has done over time to become Carbon Neutral. When completed, we’ll upload and provide YouTube links to the Mission Green and Good Shepherd Church websites.

(photo credits: Nick Chill Photography)

To save the congregation money and avoid watering, we will restore the backyard grass and plant the pollinator prairie using a “dormant seeding” technique. In this method, the hydroseeding is done after the ground temperature is lower than 50 degrees. No germination will occur this fall, but with cooler temperatures and more moisture in the spring, the seeding will jump to life. This dormant seeding process will likely happen during late October/early November.

(photo credits: Nick Chill Photography)

September 21, 2023

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Decorah, Iowa, is certified as a national IPL Cool Congregation at the 100% reduction level for converting their building to all-electric – with geothermal and air-to-air heat pumps – powered entirely by solar on their property, preventing 25 tons of carbon emissions annually. Congratulations from IPL! Read their story: https://interfaithpowerandlight.org/…/good-shepherd…/

Certify your congregation as a national IPL Cool Congregation! Carbon footprint reductions of 10% or more qualify. https://bit.ly/GetCertifiedIPL

Certificate and plaque received September 21, 2023.

September 10, 2023

The courtyard and pergola dedication was held during Fellowship Hour at 10:45 on Sunday, September 10, 2023. Jim and Liz Fritz formed an LLC to provide solar and heat pumps for our church. Jim designed the system and was the general contractor/chief grunt. Liz made sure the business side was done properly.

The project, finished this month, includes: 48 kW of solar panels (102 bi-facial panels), 4 heat pumps, a huge French drain below a permeable paver courtyard and a pergola with a large solar array on top. This project has allowed the church to get rid of the last of the old gas furnaces and become all electric/carbon neutral. Enough solar has been installed so the church will be Net Zero, meaning all the electrical needs will be met on-site through our own “private solar power utility”.

All those who helped make this a reality:
Iowa Energy Office/IEDA
Hammond Climate Solutions
Winneshiek Energy District – Andy Johnson, Paul Cutting
greenpenny.bank of Decorah – Mike Ludeking

MENTORS
Larry Grimstad, Jim Martin-Schramm, Amy Bouska

LOCAL CONTRACTORS:
Decorah Electric -Joel Teslow
Vick’s Heating and Plumbing – Steve Klemme
Legacy Concrete/Finholt Construction – Seth Klotzbach
Kittleson Woodworks – Dale Kittelson
Pinter Landscaping – Shane Pinter
Couillard Solar Foundation – Cal Couillard
Other Side Hydro Seeding – Robert Ringeon
Erdman Engineering – Lindsay Erdman
Lifetime Gutters
Alliant Energy
Reed Fitton
Tom Bourcier

For the “leap of Faith”:

the Good Shepherd Congregation
Pr. Amy Zalk-Larson

All the volunteers

Our son-in-law Jake Gazlay, for the computer renderings he made of the pergola long before it was ever built.

September 1, 2023

The large pile of dirt in the back yard is now gone and has been spread around the yard.

The new pollinator prairie has been prepped for seeding. The prairie has been bordered using rebar with yellow “mushroom caps”. It is an area of 4500 sq. ft or about 11% of an acre.

A small area just south of the pergola has been hydro-seeded and will be watered to create an area we can use as “overflow” for the Community Picnic.

The remainder of the yard will be leveled and seeded in late September. The pollinator prairie will be seeded at that time as well.

Now, we wait for cooler weather and hopefully some rain!

In the News

Jim will be a guest speaker for the virtual national conference during Interfaith Power and Light’s National Solar Day. Good Shepherd’s installation will be part of the National Solar Day demonstrations. Jim will provide a live tour of the facilities on October 7th from 1-4 p.m. We also plan to have a virtual presence as well.

August 8, 2023

Moving the Needle

by Jim and Liz Fritz

Is it possible for a small Midwestern Lutheran congregation to go from eight natural gas furnaces to eight heat pumps and create all needed energy, via solar, needed to run them in only 4 years? It is possible, and it’s happening right now! See article linked below.

Mission Green article

August 2, 2023

Good Shepherd Carbon Neutral Initiative

Mission Green Project Update

GOOD SHEPHERD CARBON NEUTRAL INITIATIVE NEARS COMPLETION!

Monday and Tuesday (July 31/August 1), an 8-man crew erected the solar canopy on the post and beam pergola.

Eleven 37’ aluminum extruded beams were firmly secured on the wooden pergola. Then 50 solar panels were placed into the racking and secured.

Many thanks to the great crew who helped make this effort successful!

pictured L to R:

Carl Prescholdt, Lance Wood, Jim Fritz, Cal Couillard, Bob Wilson, Tim Wagner, Reg Laursen, and Duncan McLean.

NOT PICTURED: Tom Bourcier

The newly installed 50 panels are equal to 27 kW of photovoltaic cells. When added to the panels of 21 kW Mission Green put on the roof of the Education Wing last fall, along with the 8 kW system installed in 2016 by GoSolar, Good Shepherd now has its own energy-producing facility of 56 kW of solar.

Projections are that it will meet (or exceed) 99.2% of the total energy needs of Good Shepherd, all done without using any fossil fuels. Monitoring this system over 12-18 months will help verify this projection. We will soon be Carbon Neutral and Net Zero energy use. We will generate on-site as much as we consume. This. Is. Huge!

The final steps to 100% completion include 1) installation of 44’ of high-output LED strip lighting to light the courtyard, 2) installation of the speaker system (re-use of the speakers that were formally in the Sanctuary….the other two were re-used in the Fellowship Hall), and the final installation, hook-up and commissioning of the solar canopy to the grid. We are still on track for completion on or before August 15.

Jim and Liz Fritz

Mission Green LLC

Visit the Mission Green Website for more information

Questions/concerns? Contact Jim and Liz at: missiongreen@icloud.com

Information about the Carbon Neutral Initiative for Good Shepherd can be found here:

Good Shepherd’s website: www.goodshepherddecorah.org/missiongreen/
Jim and Liz’s website: www.missiongreen.llc

July 3, 2023

Mission Green is pleased and proud to announce that The Good Shepherd “Carbon Neutral Initiative Courtyard” is now open for the congregation’s enjoyment! The structure and walk areas are complete and safe to occupy.

The project is still ongoing (fencing, paint touch-ups, and remaining solar), so be wary of ladders, scaffolding, and tools.

Please stay on the cement to avoid bringing dirt into the permeable pavers. Never use anything that will put rust on these pavers. Our old picnic tables will not be appropriate for this surface due to this. If you take a chair out with you, please return it.

We look forward to all the many uses this space will provide!

The pattern in the center of the courtyard is an homage to the original cross design created by the architect who designed the 1958 Good Shepherd buildings (current Fellowship Hall and Education Wing). Jim found it on the original blueprint and decided to include it in the design of the courtyard.

On June 23-25, we attended the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair to see the latest installation of a solar pergola by the Couillard Solar Foundation on the MREA grounds in Custer, Wisconsin.

Here’s an example of what the solar canopy will look like from below:

We are now anticipating delivery of the solar canopy ladders and panels on or around July 27 with 100% completion of the entire project in mid-August.

Jim and Liz Fritz

Mission Green LLC

Visit the Mission Green Website for more information

Questions/concerns? Contact Jim and Liz at: missiongreen@icloud.com

Information about the Carbon Neutral Initiative for Good Shepherd can be found here:

Good Shepherd’s website: www.goodshepherddecorah.org/missiongreen/
Jim and Liz’s website: www.missiongreen.llc

May 17 2023:

The filling in of the French drain will be completed this week.

This week, a new electrical conduit for the pergola will be placed in the rock. New sidewalks on the south and east side of the pergola will be poured in the next week or so. We will fix the grassy area east of the Fellowship and start new grass seed. The remainder of the yard will wait until the project is complete.

“Lake Good Shepherd” after the recent rains! (yes, this will be fixed later this summer!)

Liz and Jim Fritz will be gone for three weeks, driving to a family wedding on the east coast. Other than the sidewalks, all other work will stop until they return.

May 2023: Progress is underway to prepare the backyard for the solar pergola array, french drain, and removal of the old oil tank. Check out the pictures of the project on the Good Shepherd Flickr Album!

As of today, 1/17/23, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church has stopped using Natural Gas to heat our facility! The new air-to-air heat pumps are now running and fully operational! Huzzah!

Vick’s Heating and Plumbing will monitor the system for the next week. Once the systems have passed this test, the Black Hills Energy gas line will be terminated.

The remaining work is the final installation of the Sanctuary’s auxiliary heat/air purifier/humidifier.

The ceiling tiles in the hallways will be replaced during the first week of February. When this is completed, it will mark the end of “Phase I” of the Good Shepherd Carbon Neutral Initiative. “Phase II” (French Drain, permeable paver courtyard, post and beam pergola, and 28 kW solar array) will commence in the spring as soon as the ground thaws to allow construction to begin.

Jim and Liz Fritz

Mission Green LLC

January 12 – We lost 2+ weeks on the HVAC project due to the holidays (short weeks) and the nasty cold spell we had at that time. Vick’s spent all of its time repairing other systems that shut down due to the extreme weather. After the weather subsided, they spent another week doing emergency installs for furnaces that had completely quit.

Even with these setbacks, the work is progressing. All head units in the Sanctuary, hallways, offices, library, nursery, bathrooms, and Sacristy have been hung and connected. Later this week, Vick’s will pressurize the system to check for leaks. Once that test is completed successfully, representatives from LG will be on site to energize the system with Freon. At that time, the heat pumps can be turned on, and the gas furnaces turned off!

The wooden plenum behind the organ, which covers the VRF lines as they enter the building, is installed. The organ will now be uncovered as all dust-producing jobs are done. The remaining holes from the old registers in the Sanctuary will be covered with flush, color-matched plates.

The auxiliary electric backup heater for the Sanctuary will be installed next. This includes a 15 kW resistive heater, a blower motor sufficient for the size of the space, an air purifying system that includes a MERV filter, a carbon filter, a UV light to kill bacteria, and finally, a steam/mist humidifier. This unit will eliminate the need for the small humidifier and dehumidifier now used to help stabilize the environment for the organ. It will be on an automatically controlled thermostat/humidistat/timer system.

We plan to replace the suspended ceiling in the hallways and entry area when all HVAC systems are installed. We hope to have the heat pump phase of the project completed by mid-February.

The final phase: French drain, permeable paver courtyard, pergola, and solar canopy (27 kW), will begin in the spring after the ground thaws.

This is the manifold of the VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow) lines that branch out to all the head units in the library, nursery, and bathrooms.

These are all the lines that go along the ceiling in the entry area.

This is one of the head units in the hallway outside the bathrooms

These are the new head units in the Sanctuary over the organ. The old duct holes will be covered.

Dec. 12

We have much to report as the Good Shepherd Carbon Neutral Initiative is moving forward!

After a long delay due to supply chain issues, the new 600 amp service entrance was bored into the church from the relocated Alliant transformer. There are several large electrical boxes now installed on the south side of the Education Wing.

There are now 52 solar panels (21 kW) mounted on the Education Wing and office roofs. These will begin producing electricity as soon as Alliant Energy turns on the meter.

A new mini-split heat pump was installed in the Annex. In the 1988 addition, the ceiling tiles were removed, the old ductwork was removed, and all duct register openings are being sheetrocked. The many penetrations (from over the years) through the hallway ceiling sheetrock have been fireproofed, the 3 heat pumps are installed on the south side of the Sanctuary, and the wall units in the Sanctuary are in the process of being installed.

The plan is to have the Sanctuary switched to the new HVAC system by Christmas. This is the priority. The offices, library, bathrooms, Sacristy, and hallways will be completed next.

Much care and attention are being paid to properly condition the Sanctuary for the long-term health of the organ and baby grand as well as congregants. The small humidifier/dehumidifiers will be replaced with a commercial-grade humidification system, and the new HVAC will dehumidify appropriately. The new air purification system will integrate MERV/carbon/LED UV elements. There will be backup heat in case of extreme winter conditions.

This is a large project with lots of moving parts. While there are currently no “unknowns” that will slow the process, it will still take time. The congregation’s patience with this process is greatly appreciated. The goal is to have the facility be 100% electric by 1/1/2023. After the HVAC work is completed, we can unhook the gas lines.

The final phase: French drain, permeable paver courtyard, pergola, and solar canopy (27 kW), will begin in the spring after the ground thaws.

Jim and Liz Fritz

Mission Green LLC

November 14th

Many Thanks to our Volunteers

We had an incredible Sunday afternoon work event due to amazing volunteers! We removed all the ceiling tiles and gridwork in preparation for the HVAC installation.

We are grateful to all who helped Sunday: Reg Laursen, Brooke Joyce, Dave Peterson, Bob Felde, Sharon Drew, Bob Wilson, Lance Wood, Christy and Jeff Tomlinson, and Laura Barlament. It was dusty and dirty, but spirits were high! Thank you! Thank you!

The new service entrance was completed on Friday, November 11th, and Alliant installed the new transformer. Decorah Electric has finished installing all the large electrical boxes on the south side of the Education Wing.

This week we will receive 52 new solar panels. These panels will be installed on the roof of the Education Wing and over the offices next to the Sanctuary. An additional 200 amp service panel will be installed near the new heat pumps on the south side of the Sanctuary. We also hope to have the new gutter installed on the Education Wing in preparation for the French Drain. All of this work will be completed by Thanksgiving.

During the week of Thanksgiving, Vick’s Heating and Plumbing will begin the installation of the new HVAC system. This will involve punching through the south side of the Sanctuary (in the corner behind the organ) and then running new VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow) lines down the office hallway to all the various rooms. Once this has been completed, we will be 100% electric and will be able to take advantage of both our solar arrays. This installation process will take several weeks, but this should be done before Christmas (and we can permanently turn off the gas line!).

We hope to have all the ceiling tiles replaced before Christmas (it’ll take a lot longer to put them up than it did to take them down!!!). We also plan to have a plasterer (Good Shepherd Charter Member Torg Berg) repair all the holes left by the heat registers that will no longer be used. This will happen both before and after Christmas. Finally, the painting will need to be completed on all these plaster repairs.

At that point, we will pause for the winter and resume construction of the French Drain, permeable paver courtyard, pergola, and solar canopy in the spring after the ground thaws.

Jim and Liz Fritz

Mission Green LLC

November 10

Sharing some pictures of the recent work on the Mission Green Project. Check out more in the Good Shepherd Flickr account.

The new service panel has been installed. This is the part we were waiting on for so long.

On Friday, November 11th, Alliant Energy will connect the new transformer on the east lot line (picture on the bottom right) and switch from the old service entrance to the new one (picture on the bottom left).

The entire building will be without power for much of the day on Friday.

October 31st, 2022

Work is finally starting to commence on the solar and heat pump project proposed by Mission Green and accepted by the congregation last June.

The concrete slab for the new heat pumps (south side of the Sanctuary) has been completed.

Timeline for Upcoming work:

Wednesday 11/2/22 – West Union Trenching will bore underground conduit from the east lot line to the south side of the Education Wing.

Friday 11/4/11 – Decorah Electric will install the new service entrance box and all electrical boxes needed for the solar installation on the south wall of the Education Wing.

Week of 11/7/22 – Lifetime Gutters will install a new gutter system along the south side of the Education Wing in preparation for the French drain.

Friday 11/11/22 – Alliant Energy will install the new transformer on the east lot line and switch from the old service entrance to the new one. The entire building will be without power for much of the day.

***Volunteers needed

Sunday afternoon, 11/13/22 – Jim Fritz and volunteers will remove the ceiling tiles from the Sanctuary hallways and entry in preparation for the new HVAC equipment to be installed. Volunteers are needed to help with this process. No heavy lifting. Minimal ladder work. We will start at 1 pm and be done no later than 4 pm. Please email Jim at: jlfritz@mac.com if you’re able to help.

Wednesday 11/15/22 – Installation of the new HVAC system will begin.

We will still be under construction throughout the Thanksgiving holiday in the Sanctuary area. We “hope” to have things put back together again by mid-December.

Due to oncoming winter weather, the French drain, permeable paver courtyard, pergola, and solar canopy/array will begin once the ground thaws in the spring.

We’ll do our best to keep everyone updated on progress/changes/etc.

Jim and Liz Fritz

Mission Green LLC

Questions/concerns? Contact Jim and Liz at: missiongreen@icloud.com

October 11th, 2022

GOOD NEWS!!

The necessary electrical panels have arrived! Decorah Electric will move the old Alliant transformer late next week or early the following week.

Vick’s Heating and Plumbing will most likely start the installation of the heat pumps in early November. Prior to that work all of the dropped ceiling tiles in the hallways and entry will need to be removed. This will occur so that all the old ductwork can be removed, and the new heat pump lines can be installed. In our “perfect world” the installation of the heat pump HVAC system will be complete by Thanksgiving. But, realistically, delays happen. We’ll do everything in our power to minimize the disruption.

It is also our goal to get the roof-mounted solar panels installed before winter.

Cold weather will probably force part of the project to be put on hold and commence in the spring. This would include the French Drain, courtyard/pergola/solar canopy. Waiting for Spring also allows Kinderhaus to access the exit in that area through the winter months.

We should be heated by electricity and heat pumps this winter!!

This is a great thing considering the current news that natural gas prices will spike again this winter!

Questions/concerns? Contact Jim and Liz at: missiongreen@icloud.com

August 2nd, 2022

GOOD NEWS: Last week, we were informed that Good Shepherd would receive a $12,500 grant to offset the costs associated with the Carbon Neutral Initiative. This grant is through Hammond Climate Solutions, https://www.hammondclimatesolutions.com/, a foundation based in San Diego, California. Jim applied for this grant this past spring, and we mentioned that we hoped we might be eligible. The funding should arrive following the completion of the installation of our solar equipment and heat pumps.

BAD NEWS: The realities of worldwide supply chain disruptions are also affecting our Carbon Neutral Initiative. We knew that there would be some delays with the needed equipment, but unfortunately, the delays are going to be even greater than we had anticipated. The current equipment delays are with the Square D electrical cabinets and main breakers for the updated electrical infrastructure.

Unfortunately, in the proper sequence of construction events, this electrical equipment must be installed first before any other parts of the entire project can proceed. At this time, we’re probably looking at another month of delays. In the best-case scenario, we hope to be moving forward in the middle of August. However, until this Square D electrical equipment shows up, the entire project will be on hold.

Questions/concerns? Contact Jim and Liz at: missiongreen@icloud.com

THE PROJECT:

Visit their website to learn more: www.missiongreen.llc and watch the proposal video and discussion with experts video below:

Jim and Liz Fritz are 30-year members of Good Shepherd. They’re both retired band directors, having taught in Decorah for 30 years, and live just two blocks from Good Shepherd. They have owned and operated a sole proprietorship business for over 25 years involving rental units and upgrading properties in their neighborhood. They have formed Mission Green, LLC specifically for the Carbon Neutral Initiative that is being proposed.

The business relationship would be established through a PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) and a lease between Good Shepherd Church and Mission Green, LLC. These financial contracts will provide a conduit to an affordable solution allowing for payments over time. The expenses to the church will be predetermined throughout the life of the contracts. Mission Green is responsible for all liabilities and contingencies.

Benefits of this Project:

- Good Shepherd Church becomes Carbon Neutral
- Proactive replacement of aging 34 year old furnaces eliminates reactive, expensive replacement
- - Upgrades at reduced rate (approx. 70% value) to Good Shepherd, spread out over 7 years
- At the end of the lease and Power Purchase Agreement, Good Shepherd will own all heat pumps with an advanced air purification system for the Sanctuary and upgraded electrical equipment, create all of their own energy using solar and have a covered waterproof courtyard.

At their April meeting the church Council voted to allow the congregation to vote on the Initiative on June 5. The vote was not an endorsement at this time, simply providing an opportunity for the congregation to have a voice in this decision. Mission Green’s proposal is a comprehensive plan utilizing the latest/best technologies available. It will provide Good Shepherd with a long horizon of Carbon Neutrality. More importantly, it also includes the ability to guarantee energy costs (versus the volatile situation we are currently in) and the opportunity to redirect future energy costs towards more vital church missions.

Any questions may be directed to Jim and Liz at: missiongreen@icloud.com

LATEST UPDATE:

THE PROJECT:

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