The GOT Studio Tour has won the UKInbound Sustainable Tourism Provider of the Year award.

While the sets and items on display are themselves impressive, the Earth-friendly HVAC systems for the location are what earned them the award.

Recognised at the tourism industry group’s recent annual convention, Game of Thrones Studio Tour was hailed as a ‘world-class ultra-low carbon visitor attraction’. Located at the principal film studios for Game of Thrones – Linen Mill Studios in Banbridge, Co Down – the immersive tourist destination invites fans of TV and film to go behind the scenes and discover the artistry that went into making the TV phenomenon. [ ... ] The Studio Tour’s priceless original film sets and assets are protected within the 110,000 sq. ft visitor experience by an HVAC system with close temperature and humidity control, sensible and latent heat recovery, free cooling and a modular zero-carbon heating system with energy storage. The UKInbound judging panel were already impressed by many aspects of the Sustainable Management plan at Game of Thrones Studio Tour and the scope of future aspiration. UKinbound CEO, Joss Croft, said: “A key part of our new sustainability strategy, is to showcase our member businesses who are doing great work to reduce energy usage and protect and regenerate the environment. In the future, we will use the practices and initiatives used by Game of Thrones Studio Tour to inspire our other members to take similar action in their businesses.”

In the near future I hope that ultra-low carbon systems such as this will be the norm rather than the exception.