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After three years of planning and fund-raising, the Sydney Theatre Company's (STC) solar power station on the roof of The Wharf theatre has commenced construction.

As installation of the second-largest roof-top solar array in Australia, it will feature more than 1,900 solar panels, got underway, Co-Artistic Director Cate Blanchett gratefully acknowledged more critical support for the groundbreaking project, Greening The Wharf.

STC is now well on the way to transforming The Wharf (its home on the Sydney Harbour foreshore) into a unique demonstration of how buildings (even heritage listed ones) can be made more sustainable. The project which will deliver most of STCâs energy and water requirements from sustainable sources, is believed to be a first for any theatre company in the world in its scale and comprehensive approach to sustainability.

The massive rooftop solar power system is being installed by DCM Solar and features new, advanced Pluto solar cell technology supplied by Suntech, and developed by the University of NSW School of Photovoltaic and Renewable energy. Upon completion later this year, the solar power system, coupled with the Companyâs drive towards energy efficiency, will provide up to 70% of STCâs electricity needs.

At the media launch for the new solar array, Andrew Upton and Cate Blanchett said "its our hope that Greening The Wharf increases awareness of climate change and demonstrates that there are a wide range of measures that can be taken to reduce our carbon footprint and conserve resources. Since its inception, Sydney Theatre Companyâs initiative has already grown and will now, as a result of the support from the NSW State Government, see the rainwater harvesting project and energy efficiency drive implemented not just at Sydney Theatre Company but within other companies at the Wharf."

Efforts to raise funds for the project have been rewarded with a significant share of $1.17 million from the NSW Governmentâs Public Facilities Program (a combined application with Arts NSW who will administer the grant on behalf of all tenants of Pier4/5). In addition EnergyAustralia has become the lead corporate partner and Energy Advisor for Greening The Wharf in a three year corporate partnership.

Greening The Wharf is funded by a unique private and public partnership involving philanthropy, corporate support and government funding. Together with the support from the NSW Government and EnergyAustralia, an extraordinary philanthropic donation of $2 million was made by the family foundation of Dr Zhengrong and Vivienne Shi, a major commitment of $1.2 million has come through the Commonwealth Governmentâs Green Precincts Fund while private gifts from individuals, Cameron OâReilly, Peter Hall and David Paradice, have delivered a further $500,000 towards total projected costs of $5.2 million.

The STC has also raised significant in-kind corporate support from engineering, sciences and project delivery firm Sinclair Knight Merz, global leader in energy management and advanced metering technology Landis+Gyr, design architects Tropman and Tropman, waste and recycling companies Veolia and Packaging Stewardship Forum, bathroom specialists Caroma and KPMG, who prepared the business case for the project. 

11th March 2009 - COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ANNOUNCED

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