Solar Powered Hindu Temple Sets Sustainable Example
by Mahesh Basantani
Spirituality seems to be taking a green course. The world’s largest solar kitchen has been installed by the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University and Academy for a Better World. And now a Hindu religious and cultural center in California has taken significant steps towards sustainability including running on solar power, reducing energy consumption and a plethora of planting trees. Currently under construction, this religious meeting place is being built as a place of love, peace and harmony, and protecting the environment is part of the vision.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir and Cultural Center is scheduled to open in the summer of 2008, under the aegis of the BAPS organization. Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) is a large socio-spiritual Hindu organization, with 3,300 centers and 55,000 volunteers worldwide. The organization attempts to address spiritual, moral and social challenges and issues faced by the world. And, the center is poised to set another wonderful example of sustainability by a religious organization.
The temple and cultural center will be installing a 60kW (kilowatt) grid-tied solar power system by GoGreenSolar. The system will generate more power than required by the temple and cultural center, and the extra power generated will be sent to the local grid for distribution. It has been estimated that the solar panels would reduce 1,556 tonnes of CO2 emissions, which is the equivalent to planting 62,244 trees, over a period of 25 years.
The center has also taken steps to reduce its electricity consumption by installing solar tube lighting. This eliminates the use of light bulbs during the day, drastically cutting the power consumption. This two-pronged strategy of generating electricity and reducing usage has the potential to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the temple. The center would plant some 400 species of trees to better the air quality in the area. As a prelude to this, the organization participated in a plantation drive this year on the Earth Day.
The entire center will be built on a 20 acre-site, northeast of the 71 Freeway, between Monte Vista and Central Avenues. The temple will cover approximately 10,000 square-foot, and the cultural center 33,781 square-foot. The main elements of the cultural center are classrooms, computer labs, gym, dining hall, kitchen, restaurant, gardens and living quarters. The center aims to promote religious and cultural harmony, and nurture a morally, spiritually and socially strong society.
+ BAPS Chino Hills Hindu Religious & Cultural Center
+ BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha
Via GoGreenSolar
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Nice example of vastu shastra