INDUSTRY. SUSTAINABILITY
BUILT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT The Bottle Yard Studios’ Bristol facility, TBY2, sports an impressive 1MWp solar array, taking a step in the right direction
by local partners Bristol Energy Cooperative, which funded the array, working with Bristol Council’s Energy Services and The Bottle Yard Studios. “With more than 2300 PV panels, it’s the largest community-owned rooftop solar array in the west of England, and probably the largest of its kind in the UK,” Aviles continues. “We believe it’s also the largest on a UK film/TV studio. It’s capable of generating enough energy to power 250 average households per year. The building itself was also designed with
wants to adversely affect the environment by acting irresponsibly, but the truth is that, the more you measure, the more you realise just how much we can do. Success breeds confidence; we are raising a new generation of climate warriors.” The Bottle Yard Studios in Bristol is another company putting its money where its mouth is. Laura Aviles, senior Bristol film manager, believes industry-wide change is happening – although the pace needs a bit of working on. “We’re seeing an unprecedented boom in film and high- end TV production across the UK right now, and of course, that’s welcomed by those in the industry. At the same time, there’s a widespread feeling that real change is needed – and fast,” she says. The studio’s biggest sustainability project to date is the 1MWp solar array on the rooftop of the new TBY2 facility that opened last November, with three new premium stages. This was part of a £12m studio expansion, and the result of ‘ambitious vision and pure commitment’ “With over 2300 panels, we have the largest community-owned rooftop solar array in the west of England”
a sophisticated building management system, ensuring maximum efficiency through heating, cooling and ventilation.” Not only is TBY2 powered entirely by solar, it’s also helping Bristol reach its climate goal to be carbon neutral by 2030. Of course, there is still a long way to go – and not just in Bristol – but the fact that companies are taking large-scale steps towards sustainability shows there is genuine hope for change in the industry. After all, you can’t have a happy ending if the planet is suffering.
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