Exeter's Voco Zeal Becomes Western Europe’s First Net-Zero Carbon Hotel

A new Devon hotel is leading the way in sustainable building, being hailed as Western Europe's first net-zero carbon hotel. The Voco Zeal Hotel, at Exeter's Science Park, opened its doors to guests in March and has been built with environmental efficiency. It is being hailed as one of Europe's most environmentally friendly new-build hotels.

The Voco Zeal Hotel also features a lot of the sustainable design and operational systems that would limit its own carbon footprint to net zero. Eco-friendly fittings such as bedside lamps made of recycled plastic 3D-printed materials are reflective of the hotel's effort to recycle material and prevent wastage. It is one of the most important technology features that make it carbon neutral and is the implementation of an adiabatic heating and cooling system. This method controls the in-building temperature of the hotel by compressing or decompressing fresh air without transferring heat, reducing the consumption of energy and dependency on the conventional HVAC systems.

The method used in designing and engineering the hotel was deemed unrealistic a few years ago, as sustainable building technology was scarce and expensive. But with advances in green technology in recent years and greater sensitivity to ecological concerns, such projects have become viable. The development team of the hotel sought to exceed conventional green building certification by utilizing cutting-edge systems and recyclable materials in an effort to minimize embodied and operational carbon emissions.

The hotel will likely be a model for green building in the future for the hospitality industry. Its energy efficiency and operational performance have attracted attention from academia, including sustainable construction researchers at Plymouth University. The experts have found that the hotel performs better than most existing UK accommodation in environmental design and energy consumption.

The wider relevance of the construction of the Voco Zeal Hotel can have a broader impact on future hospitality and other commercial building operations. In demonstrating the feasibility of net-zero carbon goals for a high-demand building such as a hotel, the project stimulates increased industry involvement in climate-resilient infrastructure development.

The location of the Exeter Science Park also adds to the sustainability credentials of the hotel as part of a business and research complex that fosters innovation and environmentally-friendly development. Voco Zeal innovation is expected to inspire architects, developers, and city planners to embed sustainable design from the outset on future development designs.

As global pressure is directed towards cuts in emissions and higher energy efficiency, the Voco Zeal Hotel shows what is possible when environmental responsibility is integrated into design and implementation. Its carbon-neutrality reaches beyond a technical achievement to become a demonstration of sustainable ambition put into practice, adding to national and international climate targets.

Source/Credits:
Devon and South West. Reporting by Richard Green and Archie Farmer for BBC News.