Setting the Scene in Hollywood:

Renovating the Historic Egyptian Theatre

More than a century ago, the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles epitomized the golden age of cinema, complete with star-studded premieres and red-carpet events. In recent decades, however, the 18,000-square-foot landmark fell into disrepair, and damage from the Northridge earthquake in 1994 made conditions even worse.

Enter Netflix, which purchased the theater in 2020 and launched a major renovation. Syska played a leading role in this project as engineer of record, responsible for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems, along with sustainability consulting and energy modeling.

Netflix sought to restore the building to its former grandeur while optimizing occupant comfort and reducing carbon emissions. For Syska, that meant concealing systems within the historic elements – such as the ornate jeweled ceiling in the auditorium – and drastically reducing energy consumption. Spoiler alert: Syska succeeded. Here’s how:

Netflix sought to restore the building to its former grandeur while optimizing occupant comfort and reducing carbon emissions.

Underfloor Air Distribution Systems

When the theater was first built in 1922, air circulated through underfloor channels. But during the 1990s an overhead system was installed. This system obscured the beautiful, iconic ceiling and consumed a significant amount of energy. To restore the historic aesthetic and save energy, Syska returned to an underfloor system, but combined it with air stratification and the passive collection of heat through openings in the balcony areas, which enabled the implementation of energy recovery that resulted in a lower construction cost and, more importantly, a reduced operational cost. Syska’s design also included event and pyrotechnic fans to increase flexibility and improve occupant comfort.

Syska’s design also included event and pyrotechnic fans to increase flexibility and improve occupant comfort.

Elimination of Natural Gas

Today, all-electric buildings are mandated by the State of California, but the renovation of the Egyptian Theatre took place before the legislation was enacted. Netflix self-imposed and embraced an all-electric initiative with the goal to implement all-electric systems as long as they didn’t trigger upgrades of the existing electrical service. To achieve this, Syska electrified the existing gas heating through air-to-water heat pumps, which heated hot water for the main theater, and overhauled the electrical distribution system to supply normal power, emergency power, and theatrical lighting control. These measures reduced the building’s energy use by approximately 35 to 40% and enabled Netflix to qualify for energy rebates from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

“The project was effectively a beta test for the electrification and decarbonization of existing buildings,” says Charbel Farah, Syska’s principal in charge. “It proved that electrification and decarbonization were feasible even for a historic landmark.”

“The project was effectively a beta test for the electrification and decarbonization of existing buildings”

Charbel Farah, Principal in Charge, Syska Hennessy

Concealment of Mechanical Systems

An additional challenge was to upgrade the mechanical systems while concealing them. To ensure that the systems did not interfere with aesthetics, Syska decided to house the mechanical equipment on the roof and moved the main electrical room, the emergency generator, elevator controls, and the fire pump to a sub-floor space with outside access. Movie buffs might be interested to learn that Steven Spielberg once used this space as an office.

"This revitalization project tells the story of Hollywood and American cinema’s past, present, and future.”

Charbel Farah, Principal in Charge, Syska Hennessy

Stellar Results

Syska’s work produced significant energy savings and enabled the preservation of the striking historic architecture. When the project was completed, members of the entertainment, design, and local community gave it rave reviews. Variety hailed the “show-stopping restoration.” Time Out Los Angeles stated that “the results are truly beautiful.” “Netflix Gets a Punch of Panache with the Revitalized Egyptian Theatre,” read a headline from The Wrap.

The Los Angeles Conservancy was so impressed by the results that it awarded its 2024 Chair’s Award to the theater. According to a statement from the Conservancy, the theater “serves as a remarkable model for how creative partnerships can help save the historic use and heritage of an iconic landmark, as it marks an exciting new chapter in history. This revitalization project tells the story of Hollywood and American cinema’s past, present, and future.”

Charbel reports that the Syska team was thrilled to receive the award, and equally thrilled to attend an awards ceremony held in a grand and eminently appropriate facility: The Netflix Egyptian Theatre.

For more details on the decarbonization measures that Syska employed at the Netflix Egyptian Theatre, please read this article, recently published in Syska’s corporate sustainability report.