In a response to Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’, Chicago archdiocese plans to benchmark all of its 2700 buildings to aid energy efficiency.
This will see churches, schools and other buildings evaluated for their water usage, energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions.
Data will be tracked using the US Environmental Protection Agency’s free Energy Star Portfolio Manager.
Chicago Archbishop Blaise Cupich said that “while it is a considerable undertaking, we have to set an example that it can be done and must be done if we are to fulfil our sustainability goals”.
Chicago is the first US archdiocese to commit to benchmarking and tracking in this way.
Some of its buildings are already eco-friendly.
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