Green new-build and retrofit programme will be rolled out worldwide if pilot proves successful

The Mormon church, which starts a new construction project every working day worldwide, has announced plans for new green churches.

In the US, Mormon officials have piloted a green building programme in a 20,000 sq ft religious centre in Farmington, Utah. The building will generate more energy than it consumes, with a display panel allowing church members to track usage by the hour.

The building features solar panels, tankless water heaters, better insulation, motion sensor lighting, low-water landscaping, automatic sprinkler systems and preferential parking for electric vehicles.

If the pilot proves successful, the Mormon church said, it will implement the practices on a broad scale, both in new construction and in older buildings. The Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has more than 17,000 buildings worldwide.