Energy efficient, all-electric HVAC equipment creates more comfortable environment for Bronzeville congregants in the summer for the first time in chapel history

CHICAGO (June 11, 2023) – Today at the historic Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, attendees of 128th annual June Rose Concert enjoyed the performance from inside the newly air-conditioned chapel for the first time. This milestone came as a result of a pilot project that installed an innovative and energy efficient HVAC equipment that will provide Quinn Chapel's congregants, for the first time, with an air-conditioned experience during the warm-weather months.

The project, part of ComEd's Community of the Future program, was the result of a collaborative effort between ComEd, Quinn Chapel staff led by Quinn Chapel pastor Reverend Troy Venning, and Slipstream, a Midwest nonprofit that discovers, tests, and scales climate solutions in buildings and communities.

"We're already seeing more severe weather events like extreme summer heat as a result of climate change in northern Illinois. By bringing a modern, efficient heating and cooling system to Quinn Chapel, the historic building will be able to host programs indoor in the summer and extend the reach of their programs and mission year-round," said Gil C. Quiniones, CEO of ComEd. "This is just the latest example of how ComEd, through partnership and investment, is able to bring cleaner, modern technology and its associated benefits to the communities it serves."

Earlier this year, ComEd helped replace Quinn Chapel's existing air system with an all-electric, high-efficiency variable refrigerant flow (VRF) heating and cooling system. The new system is all electric, which helps Quinn Chapel avoid generating on-site greenhouse gases, and will help Quinn Chapel reduce operation costs compared to other more standard HVAC systems. 

The ability to deliver cooled air to the chapel space also allows the church to host summer events for the first time, without concerns of overheating or compromising the church's historic infrastructure. Planning for the project began in 2021 and progressed through work-stoppage and global supply chain issues caused by the pandemic.

Slipstream facilitated the installation with Quinn Chapel staff. In the coming months, Slipstream will measure the system’s efficiency to better understand the energy savings and gather insights on how other buildings in Bronzeville can make use of emerging technologies such as VRF.

"As climate change continues to raise temperatures in the Midwest, especially in the summer, it's more important than ever that churches like Quinn Chapel have access to energy-efficient cooling options," said Sandra Henry, president of Slipstream. "We hope this project can serve as a beacon for future upgrades in more communities so that everyone can congregate in comfort."

John M. Gay, president and architect at JAQCorp, led the VRF design and Roberts Heating and Air Conditioning performed the installation.

Since 2016, the Community of the Future program has brought ComEd representatives together with leaders of a variety of Bronzeville organizations, including Quinn Chapel, to demonstrate advanced energy technologies that help meet local sustainability and resiliency goals for families and businesses.

This HVAC project at Quinn Chapel is one example of how ComEd is investing to expand the benefits of electrification to its customers throughout the region. Last year, ComEd introduced the Whole Home Electrification program, a unique initiative that delivers all-electric home upgrades for low-income customers, at no cost to the customer. These and other investments in decarbonization help lower energy use and reduce energy costs for customers, while enhancing air quality for the community. Efforts to decarbonize are a key component of the state's Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, or CEJA. This landmark legislation seeks to dramatically lower carbon emissions by promoting increased adoption of electric vehicles and other beneficial electrification technologies.