Hannover (dpa / lni) – Cold rooms, LED lamps in foyers and sometimes fewer late screenings: Lower Saxony cinema operators are reacting to the energy crisis with various measures. Long-term planned changes should help entertainment venues use less energy and save money. This was the result of a request from the German news agency to the Astor film group and the UCI cinemas.
The two Astor cinemas in Hanover and Braunschweig rely on energy-saving lighting with the help of LED lamps and motion detectors. The company said the ambient temperature will also be partially reduced. In addition, the checkout system, projectors and ventilation are networked. “As a result, the technology is directly shut down when the shows are empty,” Hans-Joachim Flebbe, owner of the Astor film group, told dpa.
In the two Astor cinemas in Hanover and Braunschweig, energy saving measures also affect programming. The group only offers late shows, “which also recoup energy and wage costs,” says Flebbe. “The energy crisis is having a significant impact on our business. The operation of our buildings is energy-intensive and the technology used also has a high energy requirement.” Savings measures were already introduced before the energy crisis and are now intensifying.
The crown pandemic has hit the film industry hard. In March 2020 the federal government decided the lockdown and with it the immediate closure of the cinemas. According to industry association HDF Kino, cinemas have to bear around € 300 million in additional costs due to energy and other factors such as minimum wages. At the same time, the industry faced a 30% drop in visits due to the pandemic.
UCI cinema operators are currently examining further savings measures, a spokesperson for the group with offices in Wilhelmshaven and Nordhorn said. These could affect the use of light, the size of the iceboxes or the control of the poster surfaces. “The issue of energy saving measures is acute now, but it is important in the long term,” the spokesperson said. In this way, energy savings could also be maintained in the long term.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 221028-99-292735 / 2
