Work has begun on the South Beacon Hill Resilience Hub!
We are grateful to Neal Anderson for these photos of the weatherization work and installation of solar panels at the future South Beacon Hill Resilience Hub.
During 2022, workers weatherized the building housing the Bethany United Church of Christ sanctuary, Rainier Valley Cooperative Preschool and community meeting space — thanks to your donations to Green Buildings Now. This will reduce energy use and allow the building to be used longer during an emergency.
Later in 2022, solar panels were installed on two buildings — the sanctuary complex and the ReWA early-learning center. With the battery backup that was installed at the same time, the buildings will have the capacity to remain in operation during a power outage. Funders included Seattle City Light Green Up customers, Centralia Coal Transition Grants and the Bonneville Environmental Foundation.
“Our solution to the climate crisis is clear: reduce greenhouse gas emissions and invest in clean and renewable energy sources. This Beacon Hill Resilience Hub demonstrates exactly how we can achieve our clean energy future.”
—U.S. Rep. Adam Smith
Heat pumps still must be installed so the sanctuary complex can serve as an emergency cooling center. (Heat pumps provide cooling as well as heating.) Heat pump water heaters and an induction stove will also be installed to replace gas appliances.
There is more work to be done…
Green Buildings Now continues to raise funds to weatherize and decarbonize buildings on a future fossil-fuel-free Resilience Hub campus. We are excited and grateful that the Seattle City Council adopted Councilmember Tammy Morales’s proposal to provide city funds to accelerate work, install additional battery storage, purchase emergency supplies, and inform neighbors in their native languages about this climate emergency center.
