Arcuate Architecture has a strong track record in working with church buildings and is committed to helping provide them with long term sustainable futures.
In order to assist churches Arcuate has developed the following simple-to-use 8 step strategy entitled Sustainability for Churches in South Australia.
This strategy provides congregations with a systematic process that can be used to review their churches with a view to finding long term sustainable solutions that will make their buildings much more adaptable to the social and ecclesiastical changes that church communities in South Australia are faced with today, and will be faced with to an increasing extent into the future.
Steps 1 to 5 involve audits and reviews.
Step 6 is the decision-making stage.
Step 7& 8 are about implementing and reviewing the chosen strategies.
The 8-Step Strategy
Steps 1 to 5 involve audits and reviews
Step 6 is the decision-making stage
Step 7 and 8 are about the implementation of chosen strategies.
The first steps in the Sustainability Solutions strategy are the simplest and easiest ones to implement while the later steps become progressively more involved. All along the way Arcuate would be there to assist your church in finding solutions for every step of this strategy. It is entirely down to you how far you wish to go in reviewing and implementing future repairs and adaptions to your church buildings.
Arcuate has successfully implemented the Sustainability Solutions strategy both in the UK and in South Australia, carrying out audits of a variety of church buildings. We have prepared a set of documents tailored to the specific needs of South Australia churches that we use in compiling in depth reviews and exploring options.
Step 1. Review the comfort and convenience for parishioners in using your place of worship.
Amongst other things we look at the efficiency of the current cooling and heating; the levels natural and artificial lighting; disabled access, toilet, kitchen and storage provision; and, the acoustics of your buildings.
Step 2. Review the condition of the fabric of your church.
Arcuate carry out detailed inspections of the condition of the fabric of church buildings and compile illustrated reports with costed recommendations for repairs.
Step 3. Review the energy efficiency of your church buildings.
We work together with service engineers to review the current energy efficiency of church buildings and find innovative solutions to insulating and updating services to provide energy savings.
Step 4. Review the existing use of spaces within your church.
Arcuate’s extensive past experience in working with churches, and it’s creative approach, can help in finding innovative ways to adapt existing spaces to provide new uses.
Step 5. Review the long term sustainable future of your church buildings.
By taking a broad overview it may be that church buildings can be adapted to provide them with new uses that allow them to better respond to the needs of local communities, and even to local businesses, whilst generating revenue to assist in maintaining and developing places of worship into the future.
Step 6. Decide on future use strategies, and review priorities and estimated budgets.
Arcuate can work with your church to formulate a sustainability strategy with a clear mission statement and realistic milestones set against a programme for works. We can even assist in fund raising initiatives.
Step 7. Put the sustainability strategy into operation.
We have considerable experience in compiling documentation for church buildings, and in working with local authorities in obtaining statutory consents for adaptions to heritage-listed buildings.
Step 8. Review the strategy regularly against the original mission statement and check progress against the milestones.
We believe that our service to churches extends well beyond the completion of works on site. Arcuate is committed to establishing long-term relationships with all of its church clients and we will help to review and adapt any developments to your church buildings long into the future.
