Inspired by the Hawaiian concept of “kuleana” or stewardship, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is striving to make its multiple properties on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, energy-independent by 2026.
These properties include Brigham Young University–Hawaii, the Laie Hawaii Temple and the Polynesian Cultural Center.
According to BYU–Hawaii President John S.K. Kauwe III, kuleana is rooted in ancient Hawaiian culture and signifies “both a stewardship and a responsibility to use the land to bless the lives of others.”
Kuleana, he continued, is “so well aligned with the gospel directive that we have to be righteous stewards of the natural world that comes from our Savior Jesus Christ.”
In this spirit, the Church-owned properties on the island are collaborating to implement a variety of sustainable practices.
“We have a partnership together. And we share information. We share data,” said Greg Maples, vice president of food services at the Polynesian Cultural Center. “We are working together to try to reduce that footprint right here on this side of the island.”
BYU–Hawaii: On the ‘leading edge’ of energy efficiency
In a March 24 report, the Church noted BYU–Hawaii already has approximately four acres of solar panels sitting atop the university’s parking structures and rooftops, with three battery banks for energy storage.
Kevin Schlag, BYU–Hawaii vice president of operations, said these solar panels cover about one third of the university’s electrical needs. Yet, a planned seven-acre solar farm with eight more battery banks is expected to expand the university’s access to solar power, covering 100% of its electrical needs, as well as those of the Laie temple and the Polynesian Cultural Center.
In addition to enhancing the Church’s energy sustainability on the island, President Kauwe said installing solar panels on the BYU–Hawaii campus has been “very practical” and a solution that has proved beneficial in many ways.
“If you’re looking at what our solar panels look like, they’re not intrusive,” he said. “People love the fact that their car is shaded and protected from the elements to a certain extent.”
Joining the university in prioritizing sustainability, the Polynesian Cultural Center has also begun installing solar panels at its facilities, such as atop the center’s Pacific theater and maintenance building.
Said Maples, “Those are put into place to try to offset some of the cost, try to get our loads lower and to do all that we can to reduce our footprint on the main grid.”
Other efforts the university has implemented to improve its energy efficiency include using a centralized chilled water system to cool buildings, designing new student housing to maximize natural ventilation and installing LED lights with motion sensors.
Speaking of the impact he hopes these efforts will have, President Kauwe said: “My vision for BYU–Hawaii into the future is that we will be on the leading edge of the strategies and solutions that will make Hawaii and all of Asia and the Pacific a much healthier and brighter and better place for future generations.”
Leading by example
Jenica Sedgwick, the Church’s sustainability manager, said in a recent interview with the Church News that the Church’s focus on sustainability has led its educational institutions, among them BYU campuses, to undertake some “really interesting and creative projects,” including student-led projects.
Said President Kauwe, “Our students can benefit greatly from us being at the leading edge of sustainability efforts, ensuring that they can go back to their homes and their communities and bless their lives.”
For example, desiring to give back to the school, the environment and his community, BYU–Hawaii student Eddie Heng from Cambodia sought a role at the university’s Banyon Dining Hall herb garden, where he was hired to tend the planters outside the kitchen.
“I do online and personal experiments with the plant itself here,” Heng explained.
Thanks to his research, experiments and the advice of his parents back home, Heng has “transformed a neglected area into a thriving garden,” the Church reported — a garden that provides fresh ingredients for the university’s dining hall and students to enjoy.
Part of a greater whole
BYU–Hawaii’s efforts to adopt renewable energy and other sustainable practices reflect the Church’s “broader commitment” to care for the earth and preserve it for future generations, as directed by President Russell M. Nelson.
In another Church Newsroom report, the Church said adopting renewable energy practices through solar power systems in new meetinghouses across the South Pacific is increasing cost-effectiveness and reliability. This result is significant in places like Papua New Guinea where approximately 85% of the population has no access to electricity.
“By integrating solar power,” the report stated, “these meetinghouses become beacons of both spiritual and physical light for the community.”
Listen to this episode of the Church News podcast to learn more about how the Church is adopting renewable energy and other sustainability practices, such as water conservation and waste management, in its operations worldwide.
