A.E. araiza / arizona daily star

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You could say the sisters at Tucson's Benedictine Monastery are changing their habits, but then this order has always been concerned about the environment.

Solar panels recently installed to heat laundry water saved the nuns $1,500 in the last year. That's a considerable sum for a community of modest means, said Prioress Sister Ramona Varela.

Varela said the sisters are looking at other ways to conserve energy and be more environmentally friendly while restoring their historic home at 800 N. Country Club Road.

Rainwater harvesting and more solar power are among their goals.

"It's not only the finances that are important; it's also trying to care for our environment as best we can," she said.

"We have a responsibility to make things right. It's part of our heritage. Benedictines have always been concerned about the land."

Before the first solar panels were installed, the sisters had already taken some steps to save energy and water.

For more than 20 years, they have used gray water — water used once already for laundry and dishes — to irrigate non-edible plants.

More recently, they had energy-saving windows installed throughout the 61,000-square-foot building.

"It was a huge investment, but it has made a huge difference," Sister Ramona said.

An unexpected bonus: The windows greatly reduced the noise from cars passing along North Country Club Road. They couldn't even "hear the bell anymore for our service," she said with a laugh.

The 22 sisters living at the monastery are part of a religious order called the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, based in Clyde, Mo. They are supported financially by their order, not by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson.

They work and generate income through the sale of religious vestments and handmade items in their gift shop.

The nuns first came to Tucson in 1935. In 1940, they moved into the Spanish-Renaissance-style monastery, which was designed by architect Roy Place, who also designed the Old Pima County Courthouse.

They are a modest community, and they rely on the generosity of local volunteers and organizations in order to get certain projects done.

A Catholic men's organization, the Knights of Columbus, has regularly devoted time to helping the nuns with fundraising and repairs, for example.

Most recently, the Knights painted the front porch and steps, Sister Ramona said.

The sisters, in turn, also give back to the community. They recently agreed to let the Community Gardens of Tucson start a garden there.

Gene Zonge oversees the watering systems at the Community Gardens' sites in Tucson. He said having plots at the monastery is ideal.

"In Midtown, there are a lot of people interested in gardening, but we don't have a lot of space to do it," he said.

Zonge is working with the sisters to figure out the best way to water the garden. One consideration is a well on the property that's already used mostly to water their trees and citrus grove. The sisters think water from the city of Tucson might be more reliable.

John Wesley Miller, volunteer chairman of the monastery's building committee and a Tucson builder with expertise in solar power and energy conservation, said the sisters have also saved money by changing out their light bulbs for energy-saving compact fluorescent lights.

In some cases, they need to change the entire fixture, he said, but other times it's simply a matter of replacing the bulb.

"We're now evaluating the whole roof system," Miller said. "It's the original tile roof, and we've got some leaks we've got to take care of."

Another goal is to modernize heating and cooling ventilation. Miller said they're looking into the potential for solar power there as well.

"I think it's one of the nicest unknown treasures in our community, right in the middle of town," he said of the monastery. "It's just absolutely wonderful to have them in our community."