Church building designs in Europe, Australia, Pacific, Asia, and the United States use overhangs and verandas to reduce heat load.
Rain water collection and storage in the Pacific Area is used for non-potable needs and irrigation.
The Church Office Building in Salt Lake City employs an ingenious cooling and heating system by using several underground spring wells which is 30 percent more efficient than conventional systems.
Carbon emissions are reduced by limiting travel to meetings through the use of satellite systems at church buildings worldwide. Up to 100,000 gallons of fuel is estimated to be saved per broadcast event.
In Susanville, California a meetinghouse is heated 100 percent with geothermal energy.
Meetinghouses in Africa, West and South America, Mexico and Pacific Islands take advantage of natural ventilation through passive cooling design.
Photo cell lights in meetinghouses across the country sense daylight and darkness to automatically turn exterior lights on and off. Sensors save up to $120 or up to 1,200 kilowatt-hours of energy per meetinghouse annually
Moisture sensors that monitor weather conditions via satellite shut off church building sprinkler systems during rainfall. Combined with xeriscaping reduces water usage by 50 percent or 356,000 gallons per building each season
Motion sensors are installed to automatically turn interior lights and fans off when meeting house rooms are not in use. Saves up to $130 or up to 1.3 megawatt-hours in energy per meetinghouse annually
Low flow toilets are installed in new meeting houses. They use 1/3 less water than conventional fixtures.
The tabernacle in Vernal is rebuilt into the Vernal Temple by reusing materials from the historic structure. LEED points are awarded for the use of existing materials.
Water treatment plants are constructed at several chapels to protect against contamination seeping into the limited Tarawa, Kiribati ground water supply.
The water desalinization plant at the Church’s Moroni High School in Tarawa, Kiribati helps preserve the island’s limited fresh water supply
An alpine meadow on the rooftop of the Conference Center in Salt Lake City is not only an aesthetically pleasing garden oasis, but also utilizes a water recycled river system.
High efficiency lighting is implemented in meeting houses to lower energy usage.
Church buildings in Liepaja, Latvia are built with radiant heated floors for an energy savings of 30 percent Compared to conventional heating.
SMART controllers used to reduce water usage up to 50 percent by automatically adjusting irrigation run times. The roots of plants and sod are monitored to determine when water is needed.
Xeriscape landscaping employs the use of drought tolerant plants, decorative rocks and bark to reduce water use by 50 percent with meetinghouse landscaping.
Solar power installed at a new meetinghouse on Tuamotu, Tahiti provides power in conjunction with onsite generation.
The new Church History Library is built with windows that block out ultraviolet rays and heat. An automated shade system can be programmed to lower during peak sunlight to keep the interior cooler.
In keeping with the Church’s commitment to stewardship and conservation, five meeting houses are built as part of a pilot program to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified specifications, the construction industry’s highest standard.