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As a large venue that has an annual footfall of 1.8 million and serves as a cultural campus and home to several other organisations, we acknowledge that our operations and activities have an impact on the environment.

We recognise the climate crisis and the need for every one of us to take action and take our responsibility seriously, working to ensure that we operate in a sustainable way, minimising waste and adhering to best practice.

POWERING 1,900 SEATS 

During 2021, working with Joju Solar, we successfully installed solar panels on our roof for the first time, reducing our carbon footprint.

The solar power we generate corresponds to approximately 10% of the electrical energy that we use each year (based on pre-COVID figures from 2019) and the annual generation of 192,922 kW hours is more than enough to power the stage activities of our 1,900-seated Donald Gordon Theatre each year, over the next 25 years. 

“As an iconic building in the Welsh capital, it is important to us that we promote our sustainable credentials and demonstrate our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint... Employing a preventative approach to environmental concerns is imperative to Wales Millennium Centre, ensuring our ongoing commitment to creating a cleaner, greener outlook for the future generations of Wales.” 

David Bonney, our Building Conservation and Engineering Manager 

Find out more about the installation of our solar panels.

Wales Millennium Centre are thrilled to have won the 2023 IWFM Impact Award for Positive Climate Action. Sustainability is at the top of our agenda, and this award substantiates our commitment to a cleaner, greener future. It is testament that a small team with enough ambition can tackle big problems, achieve their goals and enact meaningful change. We are grateful to the judges for recognising the hard work and passion that went into this project and we’re honoured to share our success with our colleagues, customers and stakeholders. Wales Millennium Centre will continue to minimise our impact on the environment and maximise our impact on culture for generations to come.  

Installing solar modules across flat roof spaces on the south side of our building


SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS WE’RE DOING:

  • We’re proud to support the Greener Cardiff District Heat Network which we have ambition to connect to in 2023.
  • We procure our electric and gas at better than market value and carefully monitor our usage throughout the year.
  • Any replacement equipment must have a better energy rating than the previous equipment, meaning that we are constantly improving our energy usage.
  • We reduce waste by using biodegradable containers and by recycling kitchen food waste.
  • We're close to being 100% plastic free in our bars and cafes.
  • All of our bar drinks are now served in reusable plastic cups that are also fully recyclable.
  • We've moved to serving drinks from cans where possible as they use less energy to recycle than glass.
  • We continually replace older lighting with energy efficient equivalents such as LED.
  • We’re installing active controls to switch lighting on/off to save energy.
  • We replaced our Building Management System, allowing us to have proactive control of energy.
  • We offer e-tickets (digital tickets) for every show and event. 
  • We ensure that the processes and practises used in creating our arts and creative activity are environmentally sustainable including ensuring they have the lowest carbon footprint possible. We will carry out an audit of the carbon footprint created by our arts and creative Activity, throughout 2021-22.
  • We work with Keep Wales Tidy on initiatives to manage waste effectively across the site.
  • We were awarded a Queen's Award for Sustainability in 2016, and our sustainability continues to follow this benchmark. lWe have also been awarded a Display Energy Certificate of B which was considered an exemplary award for public buildings.

Environmental Policy

We believe that the safety and welfare of our employees and the public are closely linked to environmental stewardship. As such our environmental policy includes references to safety and health as well as the environment.

Our policy is based on the principles of continuous improvement, compliance with all relevant laws and regulations and pollution prevention.

Read our Environmental Policy to find out more about our commitment to safety, health and environmental stewardship.

We’re continually looking for ways to improve and hope to have more to share with you over the coming months and years.

Achievements

Wales Millennium Centre are thrilled to have won the 2023 IWFM Impact Award for Positive Climate Action. Sustainability is at the top of our agenda, and this award substantiates our commitment to a cleaner, greener future. It is testament that a small team with enough ambition can tackle big problems, achieve their goals and enact meaningful change. We are grateful to the judges for recognising the hard work and passion that went into this project and we’re honoured to share our success with our colleagues, customers and stakeholders. Wales Millennium Centre will continue to minimise our impact on the environment and maximise our impact on culture for generations to come.