Roof project helps Methodist church go green

GLENWOOD SPRINGS Theres more than meets the eye with a major roof replacement project under way at the First United Methodist Church on Cooper Avenue thats expected to be completed early next month.

In addition to removing several layers of asphalt and wood shingles to make way for new composition-type shingles, the church also is investing in several energy efficiency upgrades.

That includes new insulation panels on the steep-pitched sanctuary roof and an 11.6-kilowatt solar electric array on the south-facing side of the roof.

Helping to make it possible were two grants from the Aspen-based Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE) totaling $37,500, plus another $51,000 in various rebates that went a long way to offset the $257,000 project cost.

The sanctuary did not have insulation added at the time of the original construction because there was no attic, explained Bill Cook, who chairs the churchs capital improvements committee.

When we decided to replace the roof, we thought it would be an ideal time to do the insulation, he said.

In doing so, members didnt want to destroy the aesthetics of the wood ceiling panels that grace the inside of the large sanctuary, he said.

So they began exploring the use of structural insulated panels, which are installed on top of the existing roof decking, combining insulation and a new roof deck.

The 12-inch-thick, 4-by-13-foot panels have been going up this past week and, because of their size, required the use of a crane for installation, Cook said.

Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER) in Carbondale helped the church in obtaining the CORE grants, including $19,500 for the insulation panels and $18,000 for the solar array.

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Roof project helps Methodist church go green