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 recognise that our operations and activities have an impact on the environment.
We are committed to actively reducing our emissions and prioritising resources to meet our target of being a net zero organisation by 2035. Every sustainable choice we make, from biodegradable cups to how we stage our shows, helps reduce our environmental footprint.
Our commitments:
- Reduce our carbon emissions
- Reduce waste by reusing and recycling
- Work towards Theatre Green Book standards
- Achieve ISO14001, an internationally recognised standard for environmental management systems
- Make green choices everyday where possible
Theatre Green Book
We use Theatre Green Book standards as a best practice toolkit. For Nye, we worked alongside our co-production collaborators at the National Theatre to implement Theatre Green Book Standards to minimise our environmental impact. We sourced technical equipment from existing stock whenever possible, reducing the need for new creations, purchases or rentals.
This achieved sustainability/reusability percentages of:
- Scenery: 66%
- Props: 64%
- Costume: 76%
Recycling
We reduce waste by using biodegradable containers and by recycling kitchen food waste. All our bar drinks are now served in reusable plastic cups that are also fully recyclable, and we've moved to serving drinks from cans where possible as they use less energy to recycle than glass.
The fabric used in our café-bar Ffwrnais is made from 200kg of recycled plastic, and 70% of the furniture in our new office spaces is recycled and upcycled.
By 2030 we aim to attain Plastic Free status and have an 80% recycling rate.
Energy
During 2021, working with Joju Solar, we successfully installed 720 solar panels on our roof for the first time, saving more than 50 tonnes of carbon every year. 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 kWh is more than enough to power the stage activities of our 1,900-seated Donald Gordon Theatre each year, over the next 25 years, meaning that we have the UK’s first solar-powered stage. Find out more about the installation of our solar panels.
We’ve replaced our Building Management System, allowing us to have proactive control of energy, and we procure our electric and gas at better than market value and carefully monitor our usage throughout the year.
We’re installing active controls to switch lighting on/off to save energy, we continually replace older lighting with energy efficient equivalents such as LED, and any replacement equipment must have a better energy rating than the previous, meaning that we are constantly improving our energy usage.
We’re proud to support the Greener Cardiff District Heat Network which we have ambition to connect to in 2024.
Through persistent upgrades to our lighting, heating and Building Management Systems, we have consistently lowered our energy usage and have recently achieved an A rating of 23 for our Display Energy Certificate.
Reducing our use of paper
98% of our tickets are now digital, and our members receive digital membership cards. Following the pandemic we no longer produce a paper brochure and focus on digital marketing.
Awards and achievements
We are pleased to achieved a BSI accreditation in sustainability, which confirms that we have successfully implemented key sustainability practices, including energy efficiencies, waste reduction strategies, training practices and supply chain assessments.
We are thrilled to have won the 2023 IWFM Impact Award for Positive Climate Action.
We were awarded a Queen's Award for Sustainability in 2016, and our sustainability work continues to follow this benchmark.
Five ways you can help us meet our net zero target
- Use public transport when visiting us if possible
- Return your plastic cups
- Use the right bins
- Bring a reusable water bottle and/or cup for hot drinks
- Use e-tickets
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. It is based on the principles of continuous improvement, compliance with all relevant laws and regulations and pollution prevention.
We’re continually looking for ways to improve and hope to have more to share with you over the coming months and 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