NOSPR

Environmental declaration

Our goal – to make the institution green, i.e. initiate proenvironmental activity, develop NOSPR into an environmentally friendly place of culture, reduce our own emissions, as well as support our staff and audiences in their efforts to reduce individual emissions, adapt to climate changes, and support other units and institutions in such activity.

Our motivation – reaching beyond everyday individual green practices, and using NOSPR’s potential to have a positive influence on audiences’ practices.

We act on three levels:

INTERNAL – in our everyday office activity and making proper use of our infrastructure:

• We have established a team dedicated to eco-friendly initiatives. In January 2024, a survey was conducted among employees regarding their environmental awareness on its initiative.
• We calculated the institution's carbon footprint for the period from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022. The calculations were performed by Bureau Veritas Polska.

Total carbon footprint:

2,599.39 t CO2e using the market-based method

2,173.09 t CO2e using the location-based method

Scope 1 (direct emissions resulting from fuel combustion) - approximately 0.3% of emissions.

Scope 2 (indirect emissions resulting from the use of imported energy) - approximately 99.7% of emissions.

Calculating the carbon footprint allows us to take the first steps towards increasing awareness of the scale of greenhouse gas emissions. Specific action directions for reducing CO2 emissions have been determined, both through optimizing internal processes and encouraging employees to reduce their individual carbon footprint, including reducing resource or energy consumption. We aim to create a model of action that can serve as an example for other cultural institutions, as well as for society at large.

• we draw upon our building’s natural potential – large windows, good acoustics, as well as natural construction and finishing materials;
• we set energy-saving lighting schedules for the interior and the exterior of the building;
• we have replaced the light sources in our concert hall’s plafond with LED ones;
• we care for the tightness of hallways and doors, so as to reduce unnecessary energy consumption by the building’s air conditioning;
• we segregate waste in the administrative section of the building;
• we make the roof available for the city’s beehives;
• we drink filtered tap water;
• we reduce the use of plastics;
• we print our promotional materials on recycled, FSC-certified paper;
• we reduce the printing of banners and promotional materials (e.g. concert programmes), replacing them with information about events published on our website, as well as with wider use of electronic means of their presentation (LCD displays);
• we optimise and adjust our HVAC systems so as to ensure comfort with the lowest energy consumption achievable.

EXTERNAL – through consciously designing our events so that they are low-emission and environmentally friendly, as well as educating audiences on environmental issues:

• we exercise particular care for our events to be low-emission and environmentally friendly;
• we encourage reaching us by public transport;
• we make the venue accessible for persons with special needs;
• we provide environmental education through organising concerts and workshops focusing on pro ecological topics;
• we engage other entities working with us (security and cleaning services, caterers) by requiring that they undertake activities aimed at protecting the environment.
• we have established partnerships with hotels located in close proximity to NOSPR, enabling guests to walk to rehearsals or concerts of visiting artists or orchestras without the need for additional transportation.

RELATIONAL – through networking with other institutions willing to act in an environmentally friendly way, exchanging knowledge and experiences:

• we feel socially responsible for establishing relations with other institutions and entities which care for the natural environment;
• we participate in workshops and training organised by other institutions of culture;
• we exchange experiences and motivation for action with the European concert halls comprising the ECHO network.

Further steps we want to take in the nearest future:

- provide workshops for employees to raise awareness about the impact of daily actions on the environment.

- purchase bins for segregating waste to be used in the section of the building available for audiences;

- carry out a survey into the means of transport audiences use to reach NOSPR and initiate activities encouraging our audiences to change their means of reaching the institution (public transport, bike, or a walk instead of driving);

- engage students in environmental protection programmes in our proenvironmental activity;

- increase the environmental awareness of our collaborating entities through the use of special provisions in business space lease agreements;

- gradual replacement of the remaining light sources in the building with LED ones.