etech udiiit J Cea H \ t0 ^oosej. t0rcoi fect ft | t THE BATTALION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1979 Page 3 city tln S thealL ,n § 0e s tosk, lls hand anj J sensors wil; Jnderground church energy efficient |; irned wrishvaii ■ Sen | ca n remeinL J'lth it." the clerl; TOrks.’” By BECKY SWANSON Battalion Rcc battalion reporter Peace Lutheran Church is going iderground, but the members are ot hiding from anyone — they are ly trying to escape the high energy Us that plague churches and other fge buildings. In fact, said Rev. Stan Sultemeir, astor of the congregation that is [uilding its new meeting-place gely underground, the church is | in a “prime visible location” — at WOO FM 2818, in the Southwood Valley. The congregation, organized by ultemeir in September 1977, has mited funds, so it must make the jest use of its building area and utili- ies, Sultemeir said. Rodney Hill, an associate profes- hr of environmental design at Texas l&M University and architect of the milding, said, “Nature is the best nergy device.” The church’s design utilizes sever- |l different natural devices that cut nergy consumption, the most visi- ile of which is covering three sides of hebulding with 11 feet of dirt. The north and west sides of the wilding are covered with dirt to a leight of about of 11 feet, and the ast side is partially covered. All entrances to the building are in the south and east sides. “At six to eight feet underground, ou achieve the mean temperature, ” lill said, which ranges from the low- • to the mid-70s. The church only has to deal with leating or cooling up or down from hat range rather than competing vith the outside air temperature. Several natural devices were em- iloyed to maximize air circulation in he building, the first being the prin- :iple that warm air rises. Above the northwest corner of the anctuary, a glassed-in “wind scoop” is perched, which serves as a chim- »ey to vent warm air when the win- lows are opened. Hill said the breeze blowing across She wind scoop creates a suction which “sucks out all the heated air. ” Air enters low on the south and east sides through screen doors and iort ofwhaliil exits through the wind scoop and rtant counlp windows high on the north side of Id — the Ft ll 16 building to cool the area of the ther toward nagogic u ses of asphalt that the wind will blow over and heat up. Despite the unique design and construction of the church. Hill said it did not cost any more than a similar above-ground structure, because a “tilt-up” concrete construction was used in which the walls were poured in sections, then raised and joined together. The building cost about $190,000, he said. Generally, they (underground buildings) would run a little bit more, but you would get all of that back in a few years just because of the energy consumption, Hill said. “One of the nice things about this is that, instead of using a lot of money for energy maintenance for the next years, they’ll be able to put that into service rather than into utility com panies.” Sultemeir said the church would not be completed when the contrac tors have finished their work. The patios, sidewalks, cabinets( flooring, and much of the sheetrocking and painting will have to be done by the members. Hill and his wife Susan, who carved the A&M Centennial wood- carvings which hang in the Memorial Student Center, are carving the bap tistry, altar table, crucifix and cand lesticks for the church. “It’s going to be fun because there will be some really unusual pieces of furniture, Hill said. Other than the wood carvings and one stained-glass window, Sultemeir said the church would be a no frills church, and because of space and financial limitations, the sanctuary will double as a recreational area. “It goes from a sanctuary — I would say withing two minutes — to a recreational area, ” Sultemeir said, “Everything is portable.” The building is about 85 percent complete right now and they hope to be in by the end of January, Sul temeir said, “But we’re going to have a Christmas eve service right here (in the sanctuary), even if it’s like this. “We’ve got that agreed with the contractor. “We ll get a couple of bales of hay as an altar, and we’ll ask people to bring candles and folding chairs. I think we’ll probably have a pretty good crowd. ” ALTERATIONS 1 IN THE GRAND TRADITION OF OLD TEXAS WHERE MOTHER TAUGHT DAUGHTER THE FINE ART OF SEWING — SO HELEN MARIE TAUGHT EDITH MARIE THE SECRETS OF SEWING AND ALTERATIONS DON’T GIVE UP — WE’LL MAKE IT FIT!" AT WELCH'S CLEANERS. WE NOT ONLY SERVE AS AN EXCELLENT DRY CLEANERS BUT WE SPE CIALIZE IN ALTERING HARD TO FIT EVENING DRESSES, TAPERED SHIRTS, JEAN HEMS, WATCH POCKETS, ETC. (WE RE JUST A FEW BLOCKS NORTH OF FED MART.) WELCH’S CLEANERS t 3819 E. 29th (TOWN & COUNTRY SHOPPING CENTER)^ SEASON’S GREETINGS! from D1RXS CHICKEN SALOON 307 University Drive College Station TAMU IN GERMANY 6 wks/6 credits — Summer ’80 Courses, Travel, Loans, Prices Housing, Dates, Flights, etc. Dr. Richard Critchfield, Director 845-2124 iiiiiiiiiiiimmiiiujt University Book Stores NORTHGATE CULPEPPER PLAZA I 409 UNIVERSITY DR. NEXT TO 3C-BBQ _ ^iimiiimiiiiiimiimMimimiiiiHmmiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimmimiiimmimiiiiiuiuHiHmmiiiiiiiimiimiiiiimimmiiiiiiKj We Buy All Books! jng that, ntal threat t church which doubles as a sanctuary and a recreational area. The classroom, office and nursery areas are cooled by wind currents which enter through the south doors vill have toll an ^ ex >t through windows on the up per east wall. Sultemeir pointed out all windows tain the sid ^ high on the walls — most at ceil ing level — which light the building f American ii n — eitheni i a crisis. asytobeth during the day. The trees and shrubs on the site were also considered when the building was planned. Hill said. Plants are evaporative coolers, he said. “We located the church so and the ton!! that all the wind has to come through i' lie aheaddl a h those trees on the site, and through all the underbrush before it goes through the church. That will help cool any air that is coming through. The' city park and fire station is south of us, too, so we really don’t have to worry about having big mas- A stain in the glass Cherie LeBlanc of College Station works on a stained glass window at Walton’s stained glass studio. “Stained glass win dows, lamps and tree ornaments make wonderful Christmas presents,” LeBlanc said. “They’re also fun and fairly easy to make.” Battalion photo by Rusty McDonald WHY SEARCH? Our service is FREE Apts. — Duplexs — Houses We can also help you subleave your apartment. A&M APT. PLACEMENT 2339 S. Texas, College Station “Next to the Dairy Queen" 693-3777 AGGIE RING DIAMOND 10 point, $QC00 full cut . . . just Ow7 The perfect Christmas gift! W diamond brokers international, inc. W 693-1647 693-1658 In the George Green Bldg. Bring your out-of-date books, with your new books & we’ll make you an offer on all your books (including paperbooks). Cold Cash or 20% More In Trade! raiinHiiiiiiimiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiimmiHiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiHiiiimiimiiiiiiiiiMmiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiimH|i University Book Stores r »|||tMl NORTHGATE iUir 409 UNIVERSITY DR. CULPEPPER PLAZA NEXT TO 3C-BBQ |?mmmimiiiiimiiiiiiimiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiimmiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiimimmiiiiiiimiiiimiiiiiMHiumiiHiiiiiiiiiiHimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinminiiln| Open ’til 8 p.m. through Finals :o order an k it, and it id even moretls her men, o the per clay’s that ] Post Company to return e never d the 13tli to find mound. Bff' s, beer cans! passed outk ite” love by 1 and truck mrn,” 12th Mans* M, I wil •it, mernorif; ingbvon" ; the thot s pathetii aimy Bruns y Battalion Classifieds Call 845-2611 Hou^ Qf K09&5 (Tree derWe-nj ^ TOP DOLLAR FOR USED BOOKS OR 20% MORE IN TRADE AT BOTHER’S BOOKSTORE] At the Southgate (Across from The University Police Station) Plenty of Parking OPEN’til 9 P.M. FINALS WEEK REFRESHMENTS * Downtown (114 S. 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