Espoo’s Cultural Venues’ sustainability work receives recognition

Auditing for the certificate is carried out by an independent expert. The Espoo Cultural Venues’ environmental pledge includes promises to, among other things, recycle waste efficiently, use recycled materials in workshops and events, take energy efficiency and a long life cycle into account in the procurement of performance technology, and increase the share of vegetarian, organic and local food in catering procurements.

“Espoo’s Cultural Venues aim to actively promote sustainable development. We offer our visitors experiences and joy. We provide services in harmony with our living environment. The EcoCompass provides us with a dynamic partner and a platform for taking environmental perspectives into account in our work,” says Leena Hoppania, Manager of Event and Cultural Services.

In practice, the environmental pledge means, for example, that stage materials from Kannusali and the Espoo Cultural Centre are taken to the Children’s Cultural Centre Aurora as craft supplies. Aurora’s workshop instructors have been given a guide on how to take ecological aspects into account in workshop activities – recycling is also encouraged in this way.

In the future, the Cultural Venues will also recycle many other things, such as extra furniture and office supplies. The staff’s recycling possibilities have also been improved in other ways.

Artists performing in the concert halls are encouraged to choose a vegetarian option. Espoo’s Cultural Venues are located close to good transport connections, and the public arriving at events is given as clear information as possible on how to get there by public transport. Events are also taken outside the Cultural Venues – examples include the Children’s Cultural Centre Aurora’s summer tour of residents’ parks, summer events in the Espoonlahti area and the Yhtä sirkusta! street circus event organised in various parts of Espoo in August.

Lamps, performance hall lights and stage props are regularly serviced to extend their life. Reuse is already considered at the procurement stage.

“Performance technology lights have been replaced with LED lights, and all lights that will no longer be used will be replaced with LED lights in the future. When procuring equipment, preference is given to products from manufacturers that promise a long product support period, usually more than 10 years,” says Salomon Österlund, Technical Manager for Espoo’s Cultural Venues and Services.

One of the objectives for further development is to facilitate the resale and donation of old technical equipment and the repair of equipment for reuse.

The environmental certificate marks the start of new changes and a review of old practices, but the development work on sustainability in the Cultural Venues is still ongoing.

The EcoCompass is owned by the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation. Read more about the EcoCompass environmental management system on the EcoCompass website: ekokompassi.fi(external link, opens in a new window)