IHG Hotels & Resorts has introduced voco Zeal Exeter Science Park in partnership with Zeal Hotels. The property located in Exeter, U.K., will be the first lifecycle net-zero carbon hotel for both businesses.
This follows the signing of an exclusivity agreement between IHG and Zeal, which was revealed at the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) in Berlin in May.
Scheduled to open in 2024, voco Zeal Exeter Science Park has been designed to align with the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Framework Definition of the U.K. Green Building Council, the membership-led industry network.
Signed under a franchise agreement and set to be managed by Valor Hospitality, the 142-key hotel will offer a restaurant, bar, gym, gardens, meeting space and numerous car charging points.
The hotel is being built using passive-house principles to minimize the energy needed to run it. An air-source heat pump will provide heating and cooling for the ground floor, with adiabatic cooling and electricity providing the heating for higher floors. On-site photovoltaics on both the roof and the south, east and west facades (a first in the U.K.) will provide the majority of energy needed, with the rest coming from renewable energy sources. The building uses a “fabric-first” approach, with careful consideration of its environmental impact. Embodied carbon from the hotel structure will be offset upon the opening of the hotel.
Karin Sheppard, SVP/managing director, Europe, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said, “I’m delighted that voco Zeal Exeter Science Park will be IHG’s first lifecycle net zero carbon hotel. This outstanding property in a beautiful part of southwest England perfectly illustrates the commitment of IHG and Zeal to doing business responsibly and will provide our guests with a place to stay that matches their own expectations around sustainability.”
She added, “This agreement with Zeal follows a flurry of recent signings for IHG in the U.K., and I’m excited to see the progress we’re continuing to make with our Journey to Tomorrow 10-year responsible business plan. It also marks another milestone for conversion-friendly brand voco, which is our quickest-growing brand globally and proving a popular choice for owners around the world.”
Tim Wheeldon, managing director, Zeal Hotels, said, “We are proud to be partnering with IHG on this very important project for both our businesses and the world around us. We have a vision for Zeal Hotels, and we’re looking forward to turning this into reality with IHG and the voco Zeal Exeter Science Park when we open our doors to guests in 2024. At Zeal and IHG, we want to play our part in creating a sustainable future. As we work together on this project, we are sharing our knowledge to help move our industry forwards.”
The hotel will be located within Exeter Science Park, which, once fully developed, will be home to around 822,000 sq. ft. of buildings for science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) businesses.