Elland-based Orchard Energy is supporting Yorkshire Sculpture Park in a new initiative to improve energy efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint.

The attraction at Bretton, which was named Art Fund Museum of the Year 2014, will introduce online consumption monitoring and data collection in early 2015 as part of a strategy for cutting emissions.

“As a venue that has been specifically designed to encourage visitors to explore the relationship between art and nature, it is hugely important that the impact we have on our environment is kept to a minimum,” said Dave Whitehead, facilities and security manager at Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

“Accurate data collection and reporting is essential if we are to achieve optimum efficiency and the new technology that is being introduced will facilitate this.”

The online system has been designed by Orchard Energy, which started working with YSP in 2012 to reduce its energy overheads.

The venue welcomes more than 350,000 visitors a year and also operates banqueting and conference facilities for corporate events and weddings.

“YSP has a number of small buildings and galleries around the park in addition to its visitor centre,” said Lucia Harney-Dey, associate director of sales at Orchard Energy. “Over the past two years, we have introduced measures to streamline YSP’s energy purchasing and the associated administration in order to keep costs low and release more money for investment in visitor experience.

“We have helped co-ordinate energy management across the site, resolving billing issues with suppliers and gathering data on carbon and energy usage. “

Said Lucia Harney-Dey: “This new system will improve the process of data collection and reporting, making it easier for YSP to identify where efficiencies can be made to meet their carbon reduction targets.”