A Message from Your Vestry

Vestry Corner

Church of the Holy Comforter, Vienna, VA

April 29, 2024

Dear Holy Comforter Family

We are happy to report that our solar project continues to move forward. Since we last spoke about it at the February 25 Annual Business Meeting/Vestry Town Hall Meeting, we have secured a partner, Ipsun Solar, to provide and connect our solar panels on our solar array. Bob Pegnato of Structural Solar has been a steady and trusted partner for our structural design and building. Dan Govan has brought essential expertise for project management, coordinating the whole project to completion.

Diagram of Parking Lot Solar Array

We have an outstanding team of people caring for each step of the process: Bob Robinson, Patrick Richardson, Brian Land, Kerry Gilpin, Dawn McGruder, Paul Brown, Meg Mall, and our wardens, David Grove and Kathy Paulini. Peter Eareckson was essential to this effort, as is Peggy Miller. Our parking lot array will produce approximately 76% of our total electrical needs annually!

Including Rooftop Solar as Part of the Project

One of our primary goals was to get our congregation to net-zero carbon emissions by 2030—a goal set by our diocese and our Vestry. With the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act Direct Pay to non-profits, we will receive a 30% payment on our entire renewable energy effort.

After positive assessments from Dawn McGruder, CPA, and our Finance Committee, the Vestry decided to include rooftop solar in the total project. We now will be able to produce just over 100% of our annual electrical usage. Solar panels will also be placed on the low-visibility south-facing roofs on McGill Hall and St. Mary’s Chapel, adding another 33% of our total electrical production (totaling 109%).

Diagram of Rooftop Solar Panels

We will continue to pursue the development of our music classroom on the third floor of McGill Hall, which has been delayed due to substantial unexpected cost increases. We continue to seek additional funding for that effort which will benefit not only the choir, but the accessibility and usefulness of the third floor for years to come.

Because of the substantial gift of the Brown Family for our Joan and Victor Brown Solar Array, and because of your contributions to our 125th Anniversary Capital Campaign, and because of the Inflation Reduction Act and a $10K grant from Fairfax County, we can replace these roofs and add panels to them still well within our total budget for the project!

A final thank you to the family of Joan and Victor Brown and their contribution to this project. Construction will depend upon our permitting time frame, but we anticipate a working solar array by mid-August.

With much gratitude,

Your Vestry

Meet Your Vestry