Top Ten Actions for the Creative & Recreational Sector
The top ten actions to help firms in the creative and recreational sector to reduce their environmental impact are:
Heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) is a key driver of energy consumption in theatres, galleries and event spaces – assess your requirements and identify opportunities for reducing energy demand by introducing occupancy-based heating/cooling and matching ventilation to demand.
Regularly calibrate your building management system unit and ensure that frequent maintenance is undertaken for things like vents and controls.
Ensure that lighting throughout the premise is not unnecessarily increasing emissions – e.g. switch from traditional lightbulbs to LED lightbulbs, use lower level lighting for non-sales occupancy, use occupancy-based lighting for non-sales areas.
Switch to using 100% renewable energy for all events and operations and consider opportunities for installing on site renewables.
Install heat decarbonisation options, such as connecting to a heat network or installing a heat pump.
Ensure that buildings are adequately insulated. Putting in further insulation at each floor level can also minimise the impact of heat rising through buildings.
Minimise waste associated with operations. For example, eliminate plastic use in catering, use reusable crockery/cutlery when serving customers. Alternatively, ensure food is served using biodegradable/ compostable packaging.
Estimate the carbon impact of touring and take steps to reduce emissions. For example, switch to electric vehicles, offset unavoidable emissions and choose tour locations that are easily accessed by a large audience.
Procure responsibly: Choose products and services with low whole lifecycle climate and ecological impacts. Monitor performance throughout by including climate KPIs in contracts.
Encourage climate positive behaviour amongst patrons. Arts, culture and recreation venues often have a high footfall of visitors and strong engagement. This is a great opportunity to encourage climate positive behaviour amongst a wider audience.
Related Resources
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Framework: Creative & Recreational
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Business climate guidance for the creative sector.
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Business Climate Guidance Case Study: Business Design Centre
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Business Design Centre’s decade of climate change action.