Programme For Sustainability

Film City Glasgow has been awarded funding from Glasgow City Council (Energy Management Unit) and Creative Scotland (Cultural Economy) for its Programme For Sustainability. FCG is taking bold steps to change the way our building operates and to be a catalyst for the wider screen industries in conserving energy and reducing emissions. We are committed to realising best practise in facility management and believe that by conserving energy and reducing emissions we will not only ensure that we are a sustainable business which supports all of the Scottish screen industries, but that we can also positively impact on our community; local to global.

We place as much importance on improving the fabric of the building as behavioural change of building users.  Therefore, PFS depends on the collective participation from all our staff, tenants and building users. Read on to find out more about the PFS activities that are taking place at FCG and for updates on how these changes are shaping-up please keep an eye on our PFS blog!  This is a long term project for FCG and we are working towards reducing our environmental impact indefinitely.

Here are just a few examples of the tenant and building user involvement initiatives underway so far;

All service invoices are emailed and not printed.

All tenants have committed one member of staff to at least 2 quarterly ‘Green Sub Group’ meetings in 2013. Partners and local businesses are also welcome to attend our green sub group meetings.  Beyond our funded period this will involve formal attendance.

All tenants have swapped general waste bins in their office with; one mixed recycling bin per office and use communal general and recycling bins in kitchens and corridors.

All tenants display a Programme For Sustainability poster in their office/s and kitchens, these can be used as a handy training checklists for new start inductions.

All tenants are helping to create a bespoke Environmental Policy at the Green Sub Group meetings and are key in implementing the policy. Our environmental policy is included in all venue hire contracts. Film City Glasgow is working with partners to develop a Green Location Filming document.

We partnered up with GFT to host a screening of More Than Honey, please see our news feature for pics and details on this successful awareness raising event.

We applied for an EBA and a VIBES award to highlight our successes/progress… check our blog to see how we did! Sat on a panel at the EIFF alongside John Newbigin (chair of Creative England), Melanie Dicks (CEO Greenshoot) and Dave Neilson (Filming Scotland)

Monitoring, Research and Partners

Each week FCG Duty Managers record utility meters, we are also inputting data on SMeasure.

Each day FCG records the amount of general waste and mixed recycling bags disposed, this is weighed and bags are counted. Successes, hints and tips and changes in legislature are reported via the newsletter “Green bit” and the Green Notice Board Each night.

Duty Managers monitor if tenants leave on lights / computers / appliances and mark this on the tenant ‘Star Chart’ – prizes are awarded to the ‘greenest’ tenants.

A researcher is analysing and collating all information and variants for reports and to guide us on how we can best focus our attention.

A Building User Survey was completed by the tenants.

We formed partnerships with Glasgow City Council, Carbon Trust, Historic Scotland and Glasgow Film Theatre. Building audits have been carried out by Glasgow City Council and Carbon Trust. Temperature measurement exercise and infrared heat loss survey planned for end of autumn.

Building improvements

Appropriate loft insulation has been installed above our permanent offices and on the pipes in the boiler room.

Gas fired radiant heaters have been fitted in the main hall (build space) and the inefficient retro fan heaters have been shut off.

Our maintenance officer has fitted domestic draft prevention at main doors and foyers.

Insulating curtains have been fitted at our grand Victorian Summertown Road foyer.

We have completely refurbished our Outpost production office to make it ‘green’, please see our Green Office news feature for more details on how we did this and what materials we used.  

All light bulbs are being changed to energy saving bulbs

Research has been undertaken into fitting foil behind radiators that sit against external walls, and fitting will begin shortly

We spruced up the courtyard with some nice flowers (and strawberries for the bees!)

Awareness raising

Programme For Sustainability will share links to its web page with blog.

A downloadable guide for Sustainable Locations will be created.  

Engagement with Glasgow Film Theatre ‘Greening The Screen’ Festival Summer event for tenants and partners to review the programme so far.

FCG will become part of a network of green businesses to share best practise. A full PFS report will be disseminated in January 2014.