Sydney Opera House goes carbon neutral

Sydney Opera House, one of Australia’s best-known landmarks, has been certified as a carbon neutral organisation – five years ahead of schedule

Sydney Opera House, one of Australia’s best-known landmarks, has been certified as a carbon neutral organisation – five years ahead of schedule

Its famous concrete shells were turned green on Monday evening to celebrate: Sydney Opera House has been certified as a carbon neutral organisation.

It means that the Opera House can declare carbon neutrality for its daily business operations, including staff travel, catering, IT, electricity, advertising and waste.

Since 2011 the Opera House has reduced its emissions by 14 per cent by modernising the building’s heating and cooling system, implementing a new waste management system, and replacing both the concert hall and back-of-house lighting (thousands of bulbs) with LED lighting.

Emissions that cannot be reduced further have been offset by investing in projects that reduce global emissions, including a wind farm in India.

The certification is with the Australian Government’s National Carbon Offset Standard.