IHG’s first net-zero carbon hotel in partnership with Zeal Hotels, Valor Hospitality. It is designed to run entirely on solar and renewable energy. As with all voco branded hotels, the 142-room voco Zeal Exeter Science Park has been designed to help guests truly unwind and feel at ease with the use of neutral tones and contemporary features throughout the guest rooms and public spaces. The hotel offers a mini-gym, gardens, a versatile conference space, and 12 EV chargers. ISCA is the hotel’s on-site restaurant and bar. It uses local ingredients and works with local producers and farms to provide fresh and responsible dining options.
The voco Zeal Exeter Science Park stands out with its sustainable design, which earned a BREAAM Outstanding rating, a renowned sustainable buildings certification. It is the UK’s first building that uses Solarlab vertical panels as a rainscreen system. It also follows the Passivhaus Standard for ultra-low-energy buildings and uses heat reversible heat pump and adiabatic cooling to reduce energy use.
In keeping with voco’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and the belief that small changes can make a huge difference collectively, voco Zeal Science Park was constructed utilizing materials selected for their sustainable properties and assembled in an innovative manner to achieve best-in class results. Ecocrete was used in the construction of the building, which is a low carbon cement that emits 85% less CO2 compared to CEM1 (100% Cement).
Joanna Kurowska, VP, Managing Director UK & Ireland at IHG Hotels & Resorts, commented: “With a growing number of travellers seeking responsible travel options, we are delighted to open voco Zeal Exeter Science Park. The hotel is a sustainable addition to our UK hotel portfolio and will build on our commitment of providing exceptional experiences for guests.”
Together, with Zeal Hotels and voco Zeal Exeter Science Park, we help set the standards for zero carbon hotels. This is aligned with IHG’s Journey to Tomorrow, responsible business plan. By inspiring industry leaders as well as our guests, we demonstrate how comfort and sustainable living can coexist to the benefit of both the environment, and the communities that we serve.
Tim Wheeldon, founding director of Zeal Hotels, said: “I am extremely proud of the team that has worked so hard to bring to fruition the Zeal Hotel vision. Our partnerships with IHG Hotels & Resorts and Valor Hospitality have been crucial throughout the development process and we are excited to launch this new sustainable hotel.”
Zeal Hotels has been around for more than a decade. We founded it with the aim of helping the hotel industry achieve net zero carbon by the year 2050. Our decision to build a net zero hotel reflects the commitment we have to combat climate change and reduce our carbon footprint. We have created a space which is not only comfortable and luxurious, but also environmentally responsible. We did this by harnessing renewable energies, implementing energy efficient designs, and utilizing innovative technology. We look forward to sharing our expertise with others to accelerate the net-zero carbon process across the industry.
Brian McCarthy, Managing Director, Valor Hospitality, said: “Valor has been a successful partner with IHG for over 10 years in the UK. We are very pleased to be collaborating with them on their first net zero carbon hotel. Zeal Hotels, who chose us to manage their hotel, gave us the opportunity to work with this cutting-edge design. This is yet another step towards our goal of growing our business with great owner.”
Voco Zeal is committed to supporting and forming links with the community, working closely together with the Science Park. The hotel is a knowledge centre, which will share insights on sustainable hotel operations and construction, and foster a learning culture.
