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practice involves hardware that allows multiple virtual servers to run on one physical piece of hardware. “Normally you have one-to-one: one server represent- ing email, one supporting financial applications, one for sharing files and printing, one devoted to the Web, etc.,” said Paul Halstead, the organization’s IT manager. “What virtualization allows you to do is ... move six or more servers as virtual computers housed on one upgraded piece of hardware.”


In its research, the agency determined costs for cool- ing and power averaged $1,000 per server per year while each consumed more than 6,000 kilowatts of energy. Reducing its physical servers from 12 to two saves the organization $10,000 a year.


Lutheran Social Services of Illinois also wanted to


more effectively manage its energy output. It contracted with U.S. Energy, a Minneapolis-based energy manage- ment firm, to audit its bills to help determine electrical and gas needs. That move helped the agency reduce energy costs by more than $100,000 annually, beginning in 2009.


“The purpose of our work is to care for God’s people,” said LSSI President and CEO Denver Bitner. “Part of that is where people live … so caring for the environment is also an important part of caring for God’s people.”


Green housing too Another LSA organization, Zion Development in Rock- ford, Ill., worked with community partners to renovate an existing apartment building into seven upscale, urban, market-rate condos called The Lantow Lofts. Builders reused materials, with the existing elevator sawn into pieces of decorative lumber that are peppered through- out the building. Old lumber also became useful in the downstairs coffee bar and in building furniture. Zion Development also installed 10 solar thermal panels on the roof, geothermal heating and cooling, and foam and fiberglass insulation in the walls. As a result, loft home buyers and tenants enjoy utility bills that are significantly lower than most homes.


Brad Roos, executive director of Zion Development, bought one of the condos when The Lantow Lofts opened a few years ago. He now lives two blocks from his office and can walk to work, reducing his carbon footprint by 50 percent. “Living where I do ministry is part of my strat- egy,” Roos said. “These are my neighbors. It’s easier to love your neighbors if you actually live with them.” Green practices are also “in the bag” for Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. Ear- lier this year, staff in its Milwaukee office held a drive to recycle plastic bags, raising awareness about how they


harm the environment. Recycling participants received a reusable bag.


Dan Gapinski, chair of the agency’s Green Team, also has spoken to leadership about green initiatives planned throughout the organization. That day he wore a costume made up of 200 plastic bags to represent the average number used by one person in a year. Several years ago in SeaTac, Wash., Lutheran Com- munity Services Northwest decided to build a central office building. Early on, planners worked with architects to design a building that would meet specifications for LEED, an internationally recognized green building cer- tification system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. Today those offices in the Angle Lake Community Services Building feature several green components, including a lightweight elevator, an open floor design allowing for good HVAC flow, water efficiencies (sen- sor faucets, duoflush and low-flow toilets), durable carpet crafted in easy-to-replace squares, sensor and pro- grammed lighting, and energy efficient air-conditioning and heating systems.


“This decision [to build a green building] was based


largely on stewardship and the desire to use God’s resources well,” said Kate Gerken, executive assistant to the organization’s president and CEO. “We had an oppor- tunity with a brand new building to start from scratch and do it in a way that makes the most sense. “Water is not unlimited. Power is not unlimited. They all have a cost, not just to our agency and what we’re spending to operate, but they have a cost to everybody: to the people we serve, to our local community, to our state and, of course, to our nation.”


In 2008, the building received Silver LEED certifi-


cation. To top off its good efforts, the agency received recognition from King County as “Best Workplace for Recycling and Waste Reduction” this past summer. “We’re interested in encouraging institutions to embrace a comprehensive approach,” Rhoads said. He advises making a detailed catalog of everything that comes onto your property. “Think of it as a ‘green zone,’ an Earth-friendly area,” he said. “What can you avoid bringing onto your property because it involves toxins or extra packaging? What can you minimize in terms of using water, energy, paper and so forth? … Are [these] used efficiently on the property itself? “Finally, do an assessment of everything that leaves the property. Aim for as much reuse, recycling and safe waste—like composting—as you possibly can. That kind of approach can help our [social ministry organizations] or any organization get off to a good start.” 


January 2012 35


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