Launch of world’s first fully net zero carbon hotel

London – room2, the hometel brand, announces that it will open the world’s first whole life net zero carbon hotel in Chiswick, West London, in December. Expected to be 89% more energy efficient than the typical UK hotel per sqm, room2 Chiswick has been built with pioneering technologies to achieve net zero throughout both the design and construction stages and throughout its whole life, which, in a hotel industry first, includes both embodied and operational emissions.

The product aligns increasing consumer and investment interest in environmentalism and sustainable development, with a particular focus on reducing the greatest contributor to climate change, carbon emissions and greenhouse gases. The guest experience is unaffected by the ultra-low energy standard, with the building’s interior design being inspired by the arts and crafts movement around Chiswick.

“Opening the world’s first whole life net zero carbon hotel follows over two years of planning and the meticulous creation of a new room2 whole life net zero building framework to incorporate the very latest thinking in design, construction and operation”, said Robert Godwin, Managing Director at Lamington Group and room2.“We have designed and built a hotel which is 89% more energy efficient than the average UK hotel, and set a new standard for true sustainable development in the global hotel industry.”

Via on site renewables, the building will convert 100% of its energy needs for heating, cooling and hot water. It’s proprietary intelligent building and reporting system seeks to improve performance across the sum of incremental gains. Two ‘lab rooms’ provide data on energy, water use and air quality, along with studying and learning from guest behaviours patterns. The building has been opened up to University partnerships to test new innovative technologies and interventions to reduce energy and carbon. Learnings will be used to advance the net zero building framework for future hotels as a pioneering example for the built environment.

Other initiatives include:

• 100% renewable energy powering an electric only building with no use of fossil fuels
• On site renewables that convert all of the energy needed for heating, cooling and hot water from ground source heat pumps and 5% of energy needs from solar
• Occupancy enabled lighting, heating and cooling systems
• A ‘blue’ roof which can store 50,000 litres of rainwater to minimise local flooding
• A ‘green’ roof to increase local biodiversity
• A zero waste to landfill policy, including custom made in-room recycling bins for food waste, recycling and general waste
• Water purification system uses low heat technology that reduces the temperature needed to heat water by 30 degrees
• Piloting recycled li-ion battery cell M-BRIC technology to incorporate energy demand response and storage
• All unavoidable emissions are balance through verified nature-based carbon removal offsets
• A BREEAM excellent rating

Robert Godwin continued:“To authentically tackle climate change and truly mitigate our impact, we need to include the full footprint or ‘whole life’ of a building. Being operationally net zero alone ignores the majority of emissions that come from embodied carbon during a building's lifetime. We are excited to be the first hotel company in the world to set a whole life standard as a baseline standard for our all buildings going forward, and hope to work with development and investment partners who share the same vision.”

room2 has a carefully selected procurement strategy, selecting suppliers which align with its sustainability criteria. A series of local artists and designers have contributed to the fitted and loose items across the guest experience. All bespoke loose furniture has been made from FSC certified timber, and manufactured within 10 miles of the property, with 4,478 trees have been planted to offset their emissions.

Last month Lamington Group published its 2030 Net Zero Carbon Roadmap, the first UK hotel company to do so. Alongside outlining its commitment to only develop and operate whole life net zero carbon buildings going forwards, it includes the actions required for the wider group to reach its 1.5^oC aligned target, set in accordance with the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi).

room2 Chiswick has been developed in line with Lamington Group’s recently launched Net Zero Building Specification, a strict framework aligning to the London Energy Transformation Initiative (“LETI”) principles and the UK Green Building Council net zero carbon buildings framework.

The delivery of the hotel is the latest milestone of Lamington Group’s long-standing sustainability pathway and recognises the leading role that the real estate industry must play in mitigating climate change.

About Lamington Serviced Apartments

Lamington Group has been established as an investor and developer of residential and commercial real estate since 1967. The Group has a family of brands, including Lamington Apartments, Lamington Lettings, Missionworks, room2 and room2 lite, and actively sources schemes where value can be added through planning and development. The group has a particular focus on expansion in the extended stay sector which is the fastest growing segment of the UK's hospitality industry.