The Church of England’s Energy Footprint Tool is now open for churches to enter fuel and power use from 2023.
The data collected from the tool can help your church understand its carbon footprint and means you may be eligible for grants to help kickstart your net zero projects.
This work is an essential part of caring for God’s Creation, by helping to combat global heating and climate change.
The easy-to-use online tool will tell your church what your carbon footprint is, based on the energy you use to heat and light your buildings.
What you will need to get started
You will need your utility bills for the year before: electricity, gas, oil, or whichever other fuel you use. For example, if you are completing it in 2024, you need your 2023 bills.
- If you have solar panels, find information on their generation over the preceding year.
- If you have a separate church hall you will need to add this building, and enter the bills for this too. If you want to exclude an area which is permanently rented out to tenants and sub-metered, you will want this information to hand.
- For most churches, the national Church Care team already knows the floor area. If they don't already hold this information, you will need a sensible estimate of the m2 floor area of the church, and any other associated buildings you are inputting, such as the church hall.
- You will also need a sensible estimate of the number of person-hours that the church is used throughout the year.
WATCH this video to get a walk-through of how to complete the tool
Who can use the tool
Any church role holder can be tasked with gathering the data - lay minister, treasurer, administrator, churchwarden - it does not have to be a member of the clergy.
It is best however if one person is responsible.
Once the data has been entered, you will immediately receive a report and results on your computer or smartphone. This includes:
- The church’s carbon footprint in CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent)
- A simple assessment of your buildings’ efficiency, in graphical form
WATCH this video of top tips for parishes
When it needs to be completed
The system is open until 31 July 2024 and you can find it on the online Parish Returns system. Click here