Energy-saving Technologies

Institutions serious about their social and ecological responsibilities must think big. And this is particularly true about savings in the areas of technology and energy.

The ambitious (and in the Czech context extraordinary) energy-saving project was initiated by The National Theatre in as early as 2006 and has since expanded to include many of its stages and properties. The goal of this project is to lower natural gas, electricity, and water consumption, and to use as much renewable energy as possible. The inciting incident for the project was the realization that 25 years after the general reconstruction of the historic building and the extension of The National Theatre, the current technologies are starting to age and need to be replaced. The theatre has seized the opportunity not only to renew the buildings but make them eco-friendly in the process.

In 2006, The National Theatre in Prague, along with the energy company ENESA, embarked on an ambitious project with the goal of drastically and permanently reducing the consumption of natural gas, electricity, and water, but also replacing current energy sources with renewable ones (solar energy and energy stored in Vltava’s currents).

You can find more on the project at uspornedivadlo.cz.
downloadable as PDF Savings Infographics (13 MB).

The modernization of The National Theatre’s energy management, which happened in 2007, helped bring energy costs down by more than 50%. Its goal was not just to replace the outdated technology, but also to interconnect and tune the technology systems in a way that would unlock the full savings potential of the modernization. What was originally redundant heat is now used to heat service water. Our chiller can also operate as a heat pump using the Vltava River as a source of heat or cold (according to the weather and user preference). It can also automatically transfer heat from rooms with greatest insolation to other, currently coldest rooms. The warm and stuffy air from the auditorium is used to heat new fresh air pumped into the room, which is all monitored by CO2 sensors in the halls. Separate regulation systems enable different levels of lighting and heating in each room based on its current occupancy and use, all while facilitating adequate room comfort. Thorough energy management ensures optimal operation conditions and maximal savings. All data is being consistently analysed and the provider sends continual feedback and recommendations for improvements in the system.