Room2 to open ‘fully net zero’ hometel in London

Hometel brand Room2 is set to open what it claims to be the world’s first fully net zero hometel in Chiswick, West London on 1 December 2021. The site will reportedly encourage guests to “embrace a sustainable lifestyle”, and is forecast to use 89% less energy per m2 compared to typical UK hotels. Room2 said it would also be the first hotel to “fully account for its entire carbon footprint, making it whole life net zero”. It explained this means that both embodied and operational carbon will be “rebalanced” throughout the entire hometel’s lifecycle. All emissions associated with the hometel’s production and construction, materials used, operations, maintenance, refurbishment, and the eventual clearance of the building will equal zero, for example. The site will use “pioneering” energy efficiencies, with some developed in-house. This includes renewable energy that is maximised on site with solar and ground source heat pumps, which convert 100% of the energy needed for heating, cooling and hot water. Two lab rooms will collect data on water and energy use, along with air quality. Meanwhile, ultra-low flow pressure showers will use less water with aerated water fixtures and ultra-energy efficient lighting and appliances are combined with occupancy sensors across the building. In addition, the blue roof reduces localised flooding by slowly discharging up to 50,000 litres of rainwater, and the green roof boasts 200 tonnes of soil and wildflowers, planted to increase biodiversity and absorb CO2, along with beehives and bug hotels. The hometel features 86 bespoke rooms that have been carefully designed in collaboration with local artisans. All loose bespoke furniture was manufactured within 10 miles of the property and made with Forest Stewardship Council timber. Fabrics and materials were selected to promote reuse and a circular economy beyond their current life. The hotel also has a zero-waste policy and will be the first to introduce food waste into its in-room recycling bins. The group designed and manufactured its own bespoke bin to include waste, recycling and food waste, to ensure 100% of waste is recycled or converted into energy off-site. Room2 founder Robert Godwin said: “Taking full accountability for our entire carbon footprint is room2’s baseline commitment going forward, investing in low energy and carbon solutions to align with our parent company’s Net Zero Roadmap by 2030. “Responsibility falls on all of us to make strides towards building a more sustainable future and keep the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree target within reach. We hope other hotel companies will join us in this urgent fight against climate change.” He added: “Room2 puts a huge emphasis on our guest experience and connection to our local communities. With carbon emissions being the biggest threat to our planet, and with devastating impacts being felt across the world, we believe in our responsibility to prioritise our global communities and ensure our presence wouldn’t contribute further to the problem. We’ve done the hard work, so the guest has the full experience without the footprint.”