Salzburg Landestheater first cultural centre with Austrian Ecolabel!

Because of this ecological commitment, it is now the first Austrian theatre to be certified with the Austrian Ecolabel.

Salzburg's pioneering role. The Salzburger Landestheater was both one of the initiators and a pilot company for testing the practicality of the criteria established for the Austrian Ecolabel for spoken and musical theatre. In an extensive process, special requirements for spoken and musical theatre were developed, derived from existing criteria catalogues.

Impulse & Consulting. Dietmar Pucher, property manager of the Salzburg Landestheater, provided the impetus. He was committed to the certification process. He was supported by Erwin Bernsteiner from the Büro für Umweltfragen, who works as a consultant for the Austrian Ecolabel. Erwin Bernsteiner: "My task was to support and accompany the Salzburg Landestheater as an independent external consultant within the framework of a pilot project on the way to the Austrian Ecolabel."

A step into the future. So what does the Salzburg Landestheater expect from the Austrian Ecolabel award? The commercial director of the Salzburg Landestheater, Bernhard Utz, says: "For the Salzburg Landestheater, the certification is an important step into the future, but also a nice confirmation of the work done so far in terms of sustainability and environmental protection. At the same time, the Ecolabel is a high motivation for the entire theatre to continue working in these areas and to become better."

Interdisciplinary cooperation. In the past certification process, all departments - art, technology and administration - at the Salzburg Landestheater were involved in the project: First of all, an actual state was surveyed. Based on this, suggestions for improvement were worked out and implemented.

"Happy is he who does not forget what can be changed!" This variation of a well-known refrain from the operetta "Die Fledermaus" was consistently followed at the Salzburg Landestheater - also through the certification process. To start with: a lot has changed in the theatre in ecological terms! For example, the entire stage lighting as well as the lighting in the auditorium and in the front building was switched to LED. This has led to a significant reduction in energy consumption: an old stage spotlight consumes 3000 watts. A new spotlight, on the other hand, uses only 200 watts.

The heating was divided into several zones: This means that the heating temperature can now be lowered floor by floor as needed as well as during the night. The toilets now have water-saving, touch-free taps.

Preventing waste from arising in the first place. The vending machines for staff score points with reusable drinks: existing machines were adapted and can now be filled with glass bottles: Proud success: savings of 20,000 PET bottles per year! The prices of the drinks remained the same. The changeover was very well received by the staff! "The topic of 'vending machine drinks in reusable containers' was one of the first projects implemented at the Salzburg Landestheater as part of the certification process. After all, waste that is not created in the first place cannot cause any problems afterwards," says Erwin Bernsteiner happily.

Reuse. The machines in the locksmith's and carpentry workshops were replaced with energy-saving models that also work more efficiently and with less noise. Sets and costumes from completed productions are resold or lent out whenever possible, or their individual parts are stored and reused. Company bicycles - including e-bikes - are available to artists and staff. Hybrid and electric vehicles are used. Organic products are offered to the public in the front-of-house catering.

Curtain up! The Salzburg Landestheater is the first Austrian theatre to take an important, "generation-spanning" step by acquiring the Austrian Ecolabel. Applause! Applause!

And now: clear the stage for other Austrian theatres!