Jacob’s Ladder Energy Group: Energy for a Higher Purpose
Doug Faulkner, President of Leatherstocking LLC, and Scott Sklar, President of The Stella Group Ltd., have joined forces to create Jacob’s Ladder Energy Group. These long-time friends will bring their over half-century of experience in energy efficiency and renewable energy from both the public and private sectors to help houses of worship and related organizations cut their utility bills and provide them energy and water reliability and electric power quality.
After years of separate focus on the special energy needs of houses of worship, they began this particular collaboration in 2014 working pro bono for Doug’s church, Cherrydale Methodist, in Arlington, Virginia. (Doug is the head there of the newly-formed “Cut Utility Expenses” task force and Scott is its special adviser.) That partnership effort continues there and has already notched early, real energy savings.
Reducing energy and water costs allows houses of worship, affiliated daycare, schools, hospitals, nursing homes and other related facilities to refocus their funds on their core missions of spreading their beliefs and helping those less fortunate. In effect, saving money to save souls.
Jacob’s Ladder will assist its clients of all religious denominations to:
- define both a short-term as well as a long-term strategy;
- prioritize energy and water-saving projects;
- develop specifications;
- solicit and select vendors;
- blend various financial resources;
- as well as communicate to congregations, investors and neighborhoods on the value and progress of green energy solutions.
Any or all of this will be tailored privately to each facility’s unique circumstances and governing structures.
Upon engagement, Jacob’s Ladder will offer a short period of planning and overall guidance for an initial introductory fee. Other arrangements are also available, depending on your needs. Any further fees will be built into the actual financed renovations or system selection. Charges may also cover face-to-face meetings with the relevant religious and lay leaders and oversight committees.
Our basic approach involves an opening consultation, a short energy audit (studying energy and water bills as well as inspecting the actual building) with recommendations for incremental improvements and an adoption path usually growing gradually from smaller-to-larger and cheaper-to-expensive. We will both be personally engaged and on-your-side throughout the process.
Jacob’s Ladder is an independent voice focused solely on its client’s needs. Jacob’s Ladder is ecumenical and not tied to any other company, supplier, contractor or technology. Its technology choices come from commercially-available sources that meet required certification and codes, with a proven track record for reliability, discretion, teamwork, cost-effectiveness and low emissions and wastes from operations and maintenance.
Since technology and process upgrades frequently require more money up-front for longer-term savings, Jacob’s Ladder will also advise clients about developing a financing strategy to fit with their unique fiscal as well as infrastructure requirements.
If you want to end rising costs and increase the reliability of your energy and water supplies, or if you want to improve the comfort of your worshipers, or if you just want to help both improve the environment and your community at the same time, please contact either one of us. Jacob’s Ladder Energy Group is ready to help you start this rewarding journey.