Installing innovative secondary glazing in key areas of Dundee Rep’s A-listed building
Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre
Go To WebsiteAddressed Challenges:
- Health and Wellbeing
- Carbon Emissions
- Excessive Consumption
Action Areas:
- Energy
Initiative Purpose:
- Mitigation and Adaptation
The Story
Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre’s stunning building, opened in 1982, was recently awarded A-listing designation, being described as a rare and exceptional example of post-war theatre design in Scotland. However, like many approaching middle age, the building is showing its years! The last major refurbishment was in 1999 and there was no further investment until 2016.
Recent research highlighted that 90% of UK audiences expect theatres already to be running sustainable buildings and operating sustainably. We are therefore working hard to meet these expectations; significantly to reduce our carbon footprint and we are seen as a leader in arts-based organisations in Scotland in carbon reduction and mitigation. Since 2016, we have reduced our carbon emissions by 37.3% or 236 tonnes, saving 48% on energy alone and we aim to reduce our carbon footprint and Co2 output by 50% or 109 tonnes by 2028. As an A-Listed building, we are limited in changes we can make. Our windows are all the 40-year-old, single-gazed originals, many featuring a Louvre-design of slatted glass opening for ventilation and due to the listing they can’t be replaced. However they are hugely draughty and it is very difficult to keep above 21°C, the ideal office temperature. A recent annual Energy Report by Culture for Climate Scotland estimated we lost around 60% of heat generated through our gas central heating system through these windows!
A key area needing to be addressed was Scottish Dance Theatre’s rehearsal studio. This is a large domed space; ceiling height is 9 metres and the dimensions of the room are 289m2.
To keep professional dancers in peak condition and performing at their best, the studio’s temperature must remain constant at a minimum of 24°C, as this boosts their blood circulation making them much less prone to injury. In a small company of eight dancers, injuries can impact significantly on maintaining our performance and touring schedule both at home and internationally. However, maintaining heat in this space was a challenge.
Funding allowed us to install innovative, recyclable, UV-coated, polycarbonate secondary glazing into the dance studio, the Rep’s rehearsal and staff rooms, our workshop and various offices.
Fitted using adhesive magnets so easily removable, it has no impact on the look of the building so aligning with our listed status. There is only one specialist supplier of this glazing solution, Perth-based Cocoon and they have been able to use the Rep as an exemplar of a successful project in a heritage building.
Success & Outcomes
Having been installed in May 2024, thermal imaging has demonstrated that the glazing has already made a significant and positive impact in the dance studio, which is the easiest space to monitor. Figures over the 12 months to April 2025, based on like-for-like temperatures in months across preceding years, show that in the dance theatre alone, the glazing has saved 37,501 kilowatts and 6.93 tonnes of CO2- the equivalent of driving around 17,325 miles in an average gasoline-powered passenger vehicle or charging 831,600 smart phones!
Advice for others looking to do something similar
We are rightly very proud of our building and its historic importance but the A-listing means it can be problematic to make changes or adaptations to its fabric.
We undertook extensive research into glazing solutions before deciding on Cocoon, who had the dual advantages of being local and not needing planning permission for their product as it is both removeable and also does not in any way change the look of the building. It is also very flexible as it can be removed in the summer months if the weather gets really warm, it reduces condensation and also reduces noise.
The three week installation went very smoothly and we were also very impressed by Cocoon’s environmental and ethical policies. All materials come from sustainable managed forests or are PEFC and FSC certified. They are a living wage employer and staff are trained to a high standard to carry out the work. During manufacture, dust collected in vacuum bags is recycled into bin bags. If we decide to remove the screening at any time in the future, Cocoon would re-purpose them into fuel for economically-challenged households. We are pleased to be able to be an exemplar case study for them as they continue to grow their business.
We are very grateful for the Dundee Climate Fund and are extremely pleased with the results of this installation and the carbon reductions which it has generated. We would love to be able to install it in the remaining parts of the building- comprising eight actor’s dressing rooms, the Green Room where they wait before performances and relax post-performance- used by our own Ensemble and welcoming actors from Visiting Shows- our IT office and our Marketing and Production and Programming Department which is in use daily from 7am-9pm and needs to be heated for all this time. However, funding, as always, remains a great challenge!