The voco brand, one of the most dynamic within the IHG group, is not only counting on the conversion of existing hotels, one of the key vectors for its development. Witness its new hotel in the Science Park in Exeter, UK. Expected to open in 2024, this hotel will be the first of its kind in the UK. first hotel with zero carbon emissions of the British group.
The result of a partnership with Zeal Hotels, the voco Zeal Exeter Science Park will feature a wide range of technologies to reduce its ecological footprint close to zero. With photovoltaic panels on the roof and facades to supply most of the energy, the rest coming from renewable sources, an aerothermal heat pump to heat and cool the lobby, and an adiabatic cooling system - the air conditioning of the future - for the bedrooms, the establishment is deploying a whole range of eco-responsible solutions.
Built according to the principles of the passive house, with extremely low or zero energy consumption, the future voco hotel is part of the IHG's sustainable development effortsThese are set out in the Journey to Tomorrow CSR programme. " We are proud to partner with IHG on this very important project for both our companies and the world around us. It will enable us to take Zeal Hotels' ambitions one step further."said Tim Wheeldon, Managing Director of Zeal Hotels.
Founded in 2012, the company's ambition is to create a group of hotels entirely focused on sustainability, with a zero-carbon target. From virtuous ambitions which will come to fruition for the first time next year with this planned hotel in a setting dedicated to innovation. Close to the airport and not far from the tourist city centre, the Exeter Science Park has begun to bring together a large number of companies from the science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine sectors since its debut in 2015.
Once fully developed, Exeter Science Park should house more than 800,000 m² of buildings for their activities. It is in this business environment that the voco Zeal Exeter Science Park will offer travellers 142 rooms and a meeting space, as well as a bar-restaurant, a gym, gardens... and, sustainability obliges, numerous charging points for cars.
