ETC LED upgrade puts The Courtyard on track for 90% energy savings

In a major step towards sustainability and energy efficiency, The Courtyard theatre in Hereford, UK has completed a comprehensive lighting upgrade across its three main performance spaces, featuring a range of ETC fixtures and systems supplied and installed by ETC dealer Stage Lighting Services.

Following an independent professional energy audit in March 2023, The Courtyard identified lighting as the single most transformative area for reducing its electricity usage and carbon footprint. The project, undertaken throughout August 2025, reflects a long-term commitment to sustainability, technical excellence and an enhanced experience for audiences and visiting artists alike.

Stage Lighting Services were selected as the preferred supplier and installation specialists, having worked together previously with The Courtyard. The upgrade spans the three main performance spaces: Main House (400 seats), Studio Theatre (125 seats), and Nell Gwynne space (100 seats), replacing legacy tungsten fixtures with efficient and flexible ETC LED solutions.

The Courtyard Theatre’s lighting upgrade brought a range of ETC products chosen for efficiency, versatility, and performance. ColorSource PAR units replaced Par 64s to deliver bold colors for music and comedy events, typically used as backlight or pipe-end lighting. ColorSource Fresnel V fixtures provided soft, natural theatre tones for top light, with a nine-point stage wash and additional provision for dance booms. Source Four LED Series 3 with the Lustr X8 array replaced 750W tungsten profiles for FOH washes, gobo washes, and onstage specials, also with extra units for dance lighting. ColorSource ThruPower maintained dimming flexibility across 164 channels for visiting productions. The system is controlled via a Gio @5 console, replacing the Main House Ion XE, which now serves the Studio Theatre, offering enhanced programming options and quality control.

The impact is already measurable: The Courtyard anticipates up to a 90% reduction in energy usage across its performance and rehearsal spaces. The new Main House lighting rig alone is projected to save approximately 14 tonnes of carbon annually, averaging just 36 kilograms of carbon per performance.

The new ETC additions has also allowed The Courtyard’s technical team to increase their creative flexibility, improve production values, and significantly reduce power consumption. Lighting setups are faster to program and adjust, freeing staff to focus on future planning and maintenance.

This project highlights The Courtyard theatre’s ongoing dedication to sustainability, artistic innovation, and community impact. By partnering with ETC and Stage Lighting Services, the venue ensures it remains both environmentally responsible and technically equipped for the future of live performance.

ETC Associate Regional Manager, Matt Cowles comments: “ETC is proud to support The Courtyard Theatre and its commitment to sustainability. Thanks to the expertise of Stage Lighting Services for delivering the project and upgrading the theatre to a greener, more flexible lighting system from ETC.”

Head of Lighting at Stage Lighting Services, Scott Bainbridge adds: “We were delighted to supply and install ETC’s comprehensive LED lighting system for The Courtyard. Our working relationship with Technical Manager Dave Beever spans over ten years, and we are proud that our collaboration has resulted in such substantial gains for the venue. This project achieves dramatic energy savings and provides the team with a flexible, high-quality lighting rig that future-proofs the venue for years to come." 

Photography:

Dave Beever

Mark Douet