Film Studios Increasingly Adopting Sustainable Building and Practices Amid Climate Change Urgency
Studios Implement Green Roofs, Organic Gardens, Solar Power, Energy Efficiency Measures and Renovations to meet Legal Standards and Counter Environmental Impact; Robert De Niro's Wildflower Studios Designed to Resist Flooding.
- New York City's recent legislation mandates that most buildings exceeding 25,000 gross square feet, including studios, meet new energy efficiency standards and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2050 using solar panels, green roofs, among others.
- Studios like Silvercup have been early adopters of sustainable options, such as green roof technology, which helps clean the air, reduces storm-water runoff, lowers energy consumption, and decreases the 'heat island effect' common in urban areas.
- Great Point Media Studios has taken innovative approaches to in-house sustainability, including the creation of organic gardens on their green roofs for catering needs, and even building bee habitats at the top of their stages in Cardiff, Wales.
- Sustainability includes designing studios to survive climate events, like Robert De Niro's Wildflower Studios in Queens which is constructed to resist flooding by moving all power and necessary equipment to the elevated roof.
- Sustainable Studios and many others are working with local communities to recycle and give away wardrobe, hair, makeup, props, sets, and lumber to reduce waste, while also exploring renewable energy sources such as wind power.
- Resources like the Sustainable Production Forum and Earth Angel provide filmmakers with tools and procedures to reduce environmental impact during production, leveraging strategies like food donation, waste management, and fuel reduction.