Actors’ Equity has partnered with the National Energy Management Institute to set ventilation guidelines for performance spaces.
The guidelines include having a certified technician perform a ventilation verification assessment, while using a provided checklist, and then deliver a report on ventilation conditions to Actors’ Equity. If there are any areas of concern in the theater, rehearsal studios or employer-provided housing, the guidelines call for the theater or producer to provide a timeline for fixing the problem areas.
The ventilation system will be assessed based on recommendations from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, as well as any state and local guidance.
The expectation is that the technicians will be hired by the producers or theater owners.
The requirement for adequate ventilation has been included in the safety protocols Actors’ Equity has negotiated for touring productions, as well as the recently reached agreements for single venues and with the League of Resident Theatres.
“The use of this new resource will be a concrete way for producers and venue owners and operators to show that they are committed to safe, resilient and energy efficient ventilation systems as we exit the pandemic,” Mary McColl, executive director of Actors’ Equity, said in the press release.
