Legacy Meets Innovation: Using Sensor Technology to Preserve the Royal Opera House

Previous repairs to the fifth floor by a specialist

The Royal Opera and Royal Ballet companies are based at the Royal Opera House in London. Hundreds of classic plays, ranging from Carmen to Madama Butterfly, have been performed under its ceiling, attracting thousands of opera and ballet fans.

The ceiling, like the building itself, is a cultural icon. The gold-painted frieze of the complex ceiling is one of the oldest in Europe. The archives of the building also house important manuscripts and antique documents. In order to preserve the legacy, it necessitates constant attention, humidity regulation, and maintenance.

The Royal Opera House ceiling, whose frieze is covered with gold paint

Special lighting is required for the Royal Opera House, which generates a lot of heat. The building features a variety of cooling technology and fans to battle the heat. Condensation and water are produced by the cooling system, which can harm the ceiling or, in extreme situations, cause it to collapse. The Integral engineering team had to perform manual checks twice a day to keep this from happening. This was a time-consuming and inefficient process.

The Royal Opera House has so far installed 283 sensors.

From protecting the ceiling to damage from leaks, the data-driven, condition-based solutions significantly decrease cost and save hours of time.

“The Royal Opera House is a unique historical structure with a rich history that we want to conserve for future generations. Integral’s use of Infogrid’s cutting-edge technology to aid with building maintenance has not only reduced risk but has also provided value by allowing the Facilities Team to focus their efforts on other areas of the facility.” A spokesperson at the Royal Opera House

See more details in the published case study HERE.