*****UPDATE: voco Zeal Exeter Science Park is now scheduled to open in 2025.*****
More details have been released about IHG Hotels and Resorts’ “first lifecycle net zero carbon hotel”, first announced in May.
The property name has now been confirmed as voco Zeal Exeter Science Park, a joint venture between IHG Hotels and Resorts and Zeal Hotels.
The property is being designed to align with the net zero carbon buildings framework definition of the UK Green Building Council.
To achieve this the hotel is being built using “passive-house principles” to minimise the energy needed. An airsource pump will provide heating and cooling for the ground floor, with “adiabatic cooling” and electricity on higher floors.
Photovoltaic panels on both the roof and the west, east and south facades will provide the majority of the building’s energy needs, with the rest coming from renewable sources.
Embodied carbon from the hotel structure will also 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.”
“This agreement with Zeal follows a flurry of recent signings for IHG in the UK. 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.”
Voco Zeal Exeter Science Park will be located adjacent to junction 29 of the M5, a five-minute drive from Exeter Airport. It will be situated at the heart of Exeter Science Park, a hub for science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) businesses.
The 142-key hotel is set to be managed by Valor Hospitality, and will cater to leisure and business guests with facilities including a restaurant, bar, gym, gardens, meeting space and numerous car charging points.
