Johnson Controls World Sound Stage goes green

MILWAUKEE (WITI) --  Summerfest is going green, specifically at one of its 11 stages.  This is through a new sponsorship with Johnson Controls at the World Sound Stage.

“It's about reducing operating costs and most importantly, changing our carbon footprint,” said Ward Komorowski, Johnson Controls Director of Facilities.

The Johnson Controls World Sound Stage, which used to be the Potawatomi Bingo Casino Stage, is located near the mid-gate.

Besides new signage, for the most part, the structure will look the same.  The only difference is that it uses a fraction of the energy it once consumed.

“We've created a kiosk that has the ability to produce wind and solar power,” said Komorowski.

The kiosk, near the entrance of the stage, is equipped with solar panels and a windmill.  It will produce power to be used for the stage itself.

“All of that energy is stored into batteries and then we take that battery power and invert it back into AC,” said Komorowski.

He says it fits the company's commitment to sustainability.  Its story and a layout of how much energy is captured and saved are displayed on two LED screens on the kiosk.

“7,700,000 watt hours of energy saved, so that's equivalent to about 21,000 hours of a guitar amplifier,” he said.

Other improvements include LED lights and energy-efficient air conditioning units.  It’s an eco-friendly start to one stage, with the hope of spreading the same green concept to the entire Summerfest campus..

It's about being able to reduce energy, reduce the carbon footprint and save Summerfest money,” said Komorowski.