LONDON, April 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The Theatres Trust's Annual Conference takes place on 10 June 2008 at the Cottesloe Theatre in London where theatre owners and managers, manufacturers, suppliers and consultant, architects and engineers, will be invited to debate the impact of climate change on theatre buildings and what influence the reduction of our carbon footprint will have on theatre use in the 21st Century.

The implication of new legislation to reduce carbon emissions being introduced through Climate Change, Energy and Planning Bills will be addressed by the Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MBE MP, Minister for Culture, and Peter Head, Director, Planning and Integrated Urbanism, Arup in opening and closing contributions.

From the theatre world, the carbon comfort work in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre's Transformation Project will be covered by Peter Wilson its project director, along with Stephen Jolly of Buro Happold, the project's engineers and its architect Rab Bennets. Attenders will also get the chance to hear about the energy adaptations being planned at Glyndebourne, Arcola and the National Theatre.

Chaired by the inimitable Channel Four News anchorman, Jon Snow and arts aficionado, Nigel Hinds, along with Ruth Eastwood, CEO of Leicester Theatre Trust and Ian Blackburn, Capital Project Director at the Southbank Centre, Building Sustainable Theatres will provide the opportunity to share valuable experiences and knowledge in a stimulating way.

The morning of the conference will take a look at the bigger picture surrounding climate change and how it is affecting theatres. Three perspectives, from Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall, Richard Simmons, CEO of CABE and John Graham, CEO of Historic Scotland, start the debate as each raises what they feel are the key issues in the areas of theatre performance, architecture and design and heritage.

The afternoon focuses on practical delivery and how changes to Building Regulations and the introduction of energy performance assessments could affect the design of theatres. Delegates will get a chance to hear from construction and theatre industry experts who are either in the course of major capital projects or introducing adaptations to improve the energy performance of their buildings.

The most recent budget statement announced that all new non-domestic buildings are intended to be zero-carbon from 2019. This has significant implications for theatres as they look to find ways to net off their energy use. All the signs are that similar requirements will soon follow for existing buildings. Conference 08 aims to help theatres identify what steps they can take towards adaptation, introducing renewables and improving energy performance, whether they be older historic buildings or built later in the 20th Century.

By the end of the day delegates will have had the chance to identify the best opportunities to make their theatre more energy efficient, be more informed about sustainability as a client, understand the environmental building and energy regulations for capital projects, consider options for mitigation, adaptations and retrofitting theatres, and make more environmentally sustainable use of existing resources.

Once again the Trust's conference is tying into the ABTT Theatre Show which opens the following day, encouraging conference delegates to visit the Show to see what manufacturers and suppliers are able to do to help theatres reduce their energy consumption.

The support of the industry has been instrumental in making the conference happen. This year sponsors include ABTT, ETC, Arup, Carr & Angier, Charcoalblue, Harlequin Floors, Northern Light, Theatre Projects Consultants, White Light. Max Fordham and the National Theatre. Media Partners are Lighting & Sound International and The Stage.

Further information and registration is available on http://www.theatrestrust.org.uk

Notes to Editors

1. The Theatres Trust

The Theatres Trust is the National Advisory Public Body for Theatres. The Trust aims to protect theatres on behalf of the nation. It advises in planning, regeneration and development, architecture and design, heritage, and theatre. It enables better planning to secure, improve and achieve sustainability for new and existing theatre buildings and to protect theatre use. Our aim is to ensure that current and future generations have access to good quality theatres that reflect our rich cultural heritage and offer inspiring new environments in which to enjoy theatre.

Images available upon request.

For further details contact: Suzanne McDougall, suzanne.mcdougall@theatrestrust.org.uk , The Theatres Trust 22 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0QL, t: +44-(0)20-7836-8591 f: +44-(0)20-7836-3302, The Theatres Trust, Protecting Theatres for Everyone, National Advisory Public Body for Theatres