The ABTT and the ABTT Theatre Show are pleased to be supporters of Building Sustainable Theatres. The ABTT’s main purpose is to raise technical standards in theatre. We collect and disseminate information concerning design, theatre planning, stage machinery, lighting and sound equipment, acoustic, scenery construction, stage management and all aspects of presentation. We are committed to help improve the energy consumption of all performance spaces and venues. The ABTT provides a forum for discussion among theatre users through the publication of its magazine, Sightline and through regular meetings. Today membership of the ABTT is around 1,920 and rising. We have special interest groups including Health & Safety, Training, Theatre Planning, and Historical Research. We have an active Industry Supporters Group and we arrange specialist visits to theatres across the UK.

A global leader in entertainment and architectural lighting, ETC is dedicated to technical innovation, manufacturing some of the most energy efficient theatre lighting equipment in the world. Our lights only use power when they have to. With some 10% of our staff employed in research and development, ETC products include the award-winning Source Four® luminaires and the Eos™ control desk, as well as Congo™, Congo jr, Ion® and SmartFade™ ML control desks; Sensor® and SineWave dimming; Unison® architectural lighting control and Smart Solutions™ compact lighting gear. With its headquarters in Middleton, Wisconsin, ETC has offices in New York, Hollywood, Orlando, Copenhagen, Veenendaal, Rome, London, Hong Kong, Berlin and Holzkirchen. As well as the 24/7 support ensured by our in-house technical experts, ETC dealers around the world also provide high standards of technical expertise.

From the grandest and most historic opera houses, theatres and concert halls to new performing arts venues, both indoor and outdoor, modest and large scale, Arup has long been involved in the design and delivery of cutting-edge performing arts spaces. Arup has an excellent reputation for getting the balance of architecture, acoustics and theatrical functionality right, surpassing the expectations of arts and culture clients. Our design expertise is backed up by an understanding of the heights of clients’ artistic ambitions and the practical restraints they have to work within. Likewise, our experience in traditional methods and refurbishment projects matches our commitment to innovation and advances in technology.

Carr & Angier have been in the business of building better theatres for thirty four years. We are known for our attention to detail, the simple practicality of our planning, careful innovation in auditorium design and consideration for the people who will use the buildings we help create. In the past we have been involved in some ground breaking projects involving sustainability such as the naturally ventilated Wiltshire Music Centre and the subject now influences everything we do. Evolving performance spaces which conform to the survival patterns of the future is the latest challenge we all face.

Charcoalblue is a dynamic theatre consultancy practice offering specialist advice on spaces intended for the presentation of drama, opera, dance, music, film and art. Charcoalblue uses a holistic and partnering approach in all of its work, and gives special emphasis to collaboration and user consultation. Our work is rooted in a dual commitment to theatricality and innovation, with a strong desire to focus on exciting user-led projects. We believe that every part of an arts building should be informed by the lessons of the past, but must also, by taking advantage of new techniques and materials, be capable of meeting the demands of the future: a future that critically includes minimising the environmental impact of both the construction and operating of our buildings. Charcoalblue understands that all projects, from strategic feasibility level through to construction, present a unique set of challenges that we will constantly strive to meet with imaginative solutions. We ensure that our advice and guidance is precisely matched to the needs of each project.

Harlequin is the established leader in floorings for the performing arts, with an extensive and well-known range of stage and studio floorings plus sprung floor systems for portable and permanent use. For nearly 30 years Harlequin has supplied customers from small amateur theatres to The Royal Opera House with a comprehensive range from portable, roll-out floors to cushioned and heavy-duty floors, including special effects such as ultra high gloss finishes. A wide range of accessories includes roll storage bags, straps and carts, tapes and cleaning and maintenance products and, for dance studios, a professional collection of wall-mounted and freestanding ballet barres.

Northern Light is one of the UK’s leading providers of technology for the performance, presentation and events industries. Since 1971, Northern Light has completed in excess of 4,500 technical installations in theatres, concert halls, schools, universities, visitor attractions and many other performance venues in the UK and beyond. As well as having its own environmental policy, Northern Light complies with our clients’ policy requirements to support best practice for maximising environmental benefit and minimising the potential for damage to the environment. Northern Light is delighted to support the Theatres Trust Conference – Building Sustainable Theatres.

Whenever you need to capture an audience…
Northern Light. Engineering the Performance

We’re probably the world’s leading team of theatre planning, design and equipment consultants. Our projects range from major national theatres, concert halls and opera houses to many smaller scale community arts and education projects. We achieve real success by combining visionary concepts with attention to the smallest details.

When its time to upgrade or install the latest lighting technology, White Light’s sales and installation teams can help, as exclusive UK distributor for seven major international lighting manufacturers and supplier of countless hundreds more, including the latest low-energy LED lighting technology. Based in Wimbledon, south-London, and with extensive experience in West End productions, the company is working with the Mayor’s Climate Change Plan for London Theatres as well as working to establish recycling schemes for batteries, lamps and more in London’s Theatreland. Full details and a portfolio of recent projects can be found on our website.

Max Fordham Consulting Engineers are award-winning designers of energy-efficient systems for building services and the wider environment. In our extensive experience of working on theatres we have gained a reputation for producing innovative and appropriate solutions to the most demanding of briefs. At a very early stage, we analyse the building envelope and fabric, as well as the services, to see where the undesirable heat losses and gains are taking place so that they can be addressed through the design by passive means wherever possible. On projects where we are appointed for the acoustic design as well as for the environmental and services aspects this extends to room shape, orientation and volume as well as early discussions on room finishes to optimise the natural room acoustic. Our unique approach ensures that the running and operating costs of theatres are reduced. Sensitive integration of the services is particularly important in many auditoria, which often have intricate finishes and limited space for services installations especially in refurbished buildings, where it is often a major challenge to integrate complex systems with minimal impact on the fabric. Our close understanding of the technical requirements of theatre specialists greatly contributes to the coordination of the services with the theatre technical systems. We continue to develop and explore new ideas, working methods and technologies to stay at the forefront of our industry.

The National Theatre was founded in 1963, and established on the South Bank in 1976 in a building designed by Denys Lasdun. In its three theatres it presents an eclectic mix of new plays and classics from the world repertoire, with seven or eight productions in repertory at any one time. The National Theatre endeavours to maintain and re-energise the great traditions of the British stage and to expand the horizons of audiences and artists alike. It aspires to reflect in its repertoire the diversity of the culture. As the national theatre, it aims to foster the health of the wider British theatre through policies of collaboration and touring. In 2007 Royal Philips Electronics and the National Theatre announced a five year Simplicity lighting partnership programme to replace the landmark London venue’s lighting scheme replacing and enhancing the National Theatre’s familiar external and internal lighting scheme with a state of the art, dynamic energy efficient design.

Since 1985, Lighting&Sound International has been the foremost publication serving the broad range of the entertainment, presentation and events industries. Familiar to thousands of entertainment technology professionals worldwide, L&SI offers the best coverage of entertainment technology in all its diverse forms, including theatre, live touring, clubs, installations, corporate events and presentations, as well as in-depth profiles of the people and companies who put it all together.

Complemented by a popular Online News service, L&SI is also now available to read in a digital format, worldwide, free of charge!