A Cumbrian museum and art gallery has set “ambitious” environmental targets as it works to reduce its carbon footprint.
Tullie House Trustees have approved a new Environmental Policy and Action Plan. The trust is making great progress in achieving its aims and objectives designed to minimise the impact its operations have on the environment.
The trust hopes to lead by example and in addition to actions, use the collections, buildings and partnerships to increase awareness of the climate crisis.
In February last year, there was a major capital investment to replace more than 200 light fittings for the art gallery.
The new LED fittings use 50 per cent less electricity and also feature in the new gallery The Costume Collection at Tullie House, due to open later this year.
Electric charging points
To reduce energy usage further, Tullie House is also investigating the use of Photo Voltaic solar energy, Electric Vehicle charging points and improving glazing insulation. Water use has been reduced by up to 90 per cent in public toilets with the installation of sensor-operated taps.
Tullie House has joined 30 other arts organisations as part of the Arts Council’s Spotlight programme, which is focused on reducing the carbon emissions of cultural organisations. Julie’s Bicycle, the team leading the initiative, provides energy management support and peer sharing events.
Green electricity
As of April 1, Tullie House will be on a green electricity tariff for electricity. This means that the organisation will be able to report zero carbon emissions on electricity for 2021/22 and lead to a 55 per cent reduction in overall carbon emissions by 2022.
Katie Proud, head of finance and resources said: “We are determined to make environmental sustainability a key consideration in all our business activities. It can be the assumption that green options are more expensive, but that is often not the case.
“The switch to a green energy tariff for electricity will cost us less than an additional one per cent per year but will reduce our total carbon emissions by 55 per cent.
“We’ve taken other measures to reduce our footprint too including for retail and catering goods, we are trying to limit suppliers to a 40-mile radius.
Keen to utilise the collections, Tullie House is also focussing on including more environmental themes into its displays and exhibitions. Whale Tales, set to open in May, retells the story of Driggsby the Whale and looks at the impact of plastic pollution on our seas and waterways.
Formations on the Border Galleries tell the story of Cumbria’s geological history and touches on
the impact of climate change.
