Theatre Green Book 2nd edition, new director and path to net zero

Theatre Green Book UK has published a second volume and a range of tools aimed at supporting the UK theatre sector to reach net zero by 2030.

Theatre Green Book Second Edition

Supported by an updated website, the UK Theatre Green Book’s second edition brings all three volumes of the original book together into one. It sets out clearly and graphically how to plan the transition to net zero across all areas – productions, operations and buildings – through the logical steps of Basic, Intermediate and Advanced.  An initial step, Preliminary has been added that prompts theatre companies to commit to transition and organise themselves for the journey. Using that ladder, from Preliminary to Advanced, theatres can self-certify each rung of their transition towards net zero.  This clear structure enables theatres to commit to net zero by 2030, knowing exactly what needs to be done to achieve that target.

The updated website includes a new registration feature giving access to community forums, supporters’ pages, upcoming events and the opportunity to become more involved.

Theatre Green Book Edition Two has been developed with help from across the sector, most notably from a dedicated trialling group: Chichester Festival Theatre, English National Ballet, Headlong, the Lowry, The National Theatre, National Theatre of Scotland, Northern Stage, Opera North, Royal Opera House, the RSC, SAIL, SHIFT, Wales Millennium Centre, and the Young Vic, organisations who are already using Theatre Green Book standards, and will reach at least Basic standard by the end of 2024.

There is an easy-to-use Excel support tool for each area of the Green Book: a Production Calculator to analyse shows; an Operations Tracker to manage every aspect of catering, printing, travel, waste, building management and procurement; and a Building Survey Tool to start making theatre buildings fit-for-purpose in the climate emergency. Thanks to the expertise of Creative Carbon Scotland and funding from the Deutsche Theatertechnische Gesellschaft (DTHG), for the first time theatre organisations will be able to quickly and accurately calculate their main carbon impacts: the heavy new materials that go into sets, building energy use, travel and transport.

Theatre Green Book Director

Support from The Foyle Foundation, Frederick Mulder Foundation, Steel Charitable Trust, Unusual Rigging and others, will fund the appointment of a Director for 12 months, a programme of launches and training events across the UK and a planned International Theatre Green Book conference in Spring 2025.

Applications are now open for the Director role with a closing deadline of midday on 1 July.