An exciting new hotel concept is up and running in Chiswick, London. Room2 opened its doors in December 2021, becoming the world’s first whole life net zero hotel. According to Dezeen, Room2 combines state-of-the-art technology in a comfortable “hometel” – home away from home – setting, with the goal of attaining as close to net-zero emissions as possible.
Even guests’ travel will be figured in. “We are encouraging guests to consider sustainable travel options and are working towards offering our guests the opportunity to offset their travel emissions starting in 2022,” Room2's sustainability manager Chantal Beaudoin told Dezeen.
Room2, according to its website, is all about carbon neutrality and every aspect of the UK hotel is focused on environmental protection.
Reducing Environmental Impact
Hotel chefs prepare healthy food and buy their produce locally to further reduce the environmental impact. Food waste is then fed to onsite anaerobic digestion, which in turn makes renewable energy and natural fertilizer.
An abundance of houseplants grace the interior, cleaning the air by bringing nature indoors, and improving creativity. Even the crockery is recycled.
room2 Chiswick is now open!
— room2 hometels (@room2hometels) December 2, 2021
The world’s first fully #netzero #hometel, inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, championing local craftsmanship while instilling 25 sustainable initiatives within one building! ????#room2hometels #room2chiswick #wholelifenetzero #Sustainability pic.twitter.com/lEMBzYBCke
The impressive list goes on, setting a new benchmark for the hospitality industry. There is no use of fossil fuels, as the electric-only hotel is powered by 100 percent renewable energy, according to hospitalitynet. Sensors monitor the occupancy and vacancy of the 86 hotel rooms, controlling lighting, heating, and cooling.
As a result of these enhancements, Room2 is using 89 percent less energy per square meter than a typical hotel in the UK, reported Dezeen. This is also due to highly efficient insulation, rooftop photovoltaics, and underground pumps that draw warmth for the earth.
There is a blue roof that collects rain water and slowly disperses it back into the ground, reducing the risk of floods, while the green roof houses an herb garden. Any unavoidable carbon use is being offset by the afforestation of bamboo in Nicaragua, a project that reduces carbon and offers local employment.
Each room also has recycling bins, and the furniture is made from responsibly managed forests located within ten miles of the hotel and then designed by local artists. The carbon footprint is also being reduced by using energy-efficient appliances in the “hometel” concept.
Hometel is a New Concept in Comfort
Hometel, according to Room2, is a new sub-category in the hospitality industry, combining comfort with individuality. A space between a home and a hotel, the concept is more about a feeling than a building.
Your home-away-from-home rooms have a fully-equipped kitchen so you can eat when you feel like it. Plus, the room is yours for a full 24 hours, so if you check in later in the day, your check-out time is a full day later. You can even select your own mattress type and can bring along the whole family, including pets.
Room2 has now taken their hometel idea to a higher, more meaningful level by making it net zero. They are an industry first and the hope is that other hotel chains will soon follow. “Room2 Chiswick sets a new standard for hotels in the UK and beyond and doesn’t compromise on design and comfort. It proves that our sector can be part of the solution for a more sustainable future,” said Managing Director Robert Godwin on YouTube.
In order to assist the hotel industry in the future construction of net zero hotels, two onsite labs work in partnership with universities to monitor data on air quality, energy, and water use, reported hospitalitynet. Room2 is not only the pioneer; they are raising the bar, paving the way for future net zero hotels and for more satisfied customers searching for eco-friendly hotels.
(Courtesy Room2)
