Controls-system upgrade helps halves theatre’s energy consumption
Following the upgrading of the building-management system at the Gatehouse Theatre in Stafford, heating costs have been halved, despite the severity of last Winter. This 19th-century building in the centre of Stafford houses a wide variety of professional shows and amateur productions throughout the year. Facilities include conference rooms, a studio theatre and recording space.
To improve the theatre’s energy rating, Stafford Borough Council’s property services department instigated a boiler replacement and complete controls system upgrade. BEC was appointed to carry out a controls retrofit, which would also facilitate significant energy savings.
HVAC controllers throughout the site communicate using the BACnet open protocol. Facilities staff can monitor and control temperature settings in various areas around the building using an intuitive front-end that can be remotely accessed online via a PC. They can manage heating schedules in advance of the theatre’s use and according to occupancy levels.
Paul Gerrard, property services senior technical officer with the council, said, ‘We have been very impressed by the savings that the new controls system has created. It has helped us obtain a very creditable C (57) Display Energy Certificate rating. We can be assured that all our visitors will be comfortable within the theatre, whilst also significantly lowering our energy bills and impact on the environment.’
