Ecorazzi

Cate Blanchett and her writer husband Andrew Upton have been credited with transforming the Sydney Theatre Company — and not just by bringing in top-notch talent like director Steven Soderbergh and actor Philip Seymour Hoffman. The pair have also turned the establishment into one of the greenest theatres in the world; with several ambitious projects on the board to be completed this year.

The theatre group announced last July that it will be installing a 2,000 panel rooftop solar system to be completed in 2010. The project is expected to make The Wharf (the building where STC is housed) use 70% less energy from the grid; and, at 500MW, turn it into largest capacity building-mounted solar array in Australia. In addition to this $3.7 million dollar project, there will also be efficiency upgrades in the use of heating and lighting — as well as a rainwater harvesting, storage and distribution system to supply all of The Wharf’s non-potable water.

Blanchett, 40, and Upton, 43, started at the theatre two years ago as artistic directors. They’ve recently agreed to stay on in their positions until 2013.