Setting an incredible new global industry standard for environmental responsibility, discover room2 Chiswick, the world’s first fully net zero hometel opening this December
There was a time when people imagined sustainable hotels as wooden shacks filled with hippies and mung bean curries, but that time has long departed. Opening its doors to West London and beyond from 1 December, here’s a closer look at room2 Chiswick, the world’s first fully net zero hometel.
Blending home and hotel into a stylishly eco-friendly retreat, the new property also its guests to embrace a sustainable lifestyle with evermore ‘room2’ improve when it comes to a carbon footprint.
The pioneering new opening sets a new global industry standard for environmental responsibility in the fight against climate change and proves sustainability doesn’t mean sacrificing style or comfort.
room2 Chiswick is forecast to use 89% less energy per m2 compared to typical UK hotels, and it is the first hotel in the world to fully account for its entire carbon footprint, making it ‘whole life net zero’. Being whole life net zero, means both embodied and operational carbon have, and will be, rebalanced throughout the entire hometel’s lifecycle.
Incredibly, all emissions associated with the hometel’s production and construction, materials used, operations, maintenance, refurbishment, and including the eventual clearance of the building will equal zero.
Brothers Robert and Stuart Godwin founded room2 and created the hometel concept, which offers the best bits of hotels and Airbnb, for short and long stays.
Robert told The Wordrobe “Taking full accountability for our entire carbon footprint is room2’s baseline commitment going forward, investing in low energy and carbon solutions to align with our parent company’s Net Zero Roadmap by 2030. Responsibility falls on all of us to make strides towards building a more sustainable future and keep the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree target within reach. We hope other hotel companies will join us in this urgent fight against climate change.”
Clever tech will keep the property firing (metaphorically) on all cylinders. room2 Chiswick embraces leading hardware and software technology from around the world to achieve pioneering energy efficiencies, with some developed in house. Renewable energy is maximised on site with solar and ground source heat pumps, which convert 100% of the energy needed for heating, cooling and hot water.
Two lab rooms collect data on water and energy use, along with air quality, and learn from guest habits to refine and improve future efficiencies.
Ultra-low flow pressure showers use less water with aerated water fixtures and ultra-energy efficient lighting and appliances are combined with occupancy sensors across the building. The blue roof reduces localised flooding by slowly discharging up to 50,000 litres of rainwater, and the green roof boasts 200 tonnes of soil and wildflowers, planted to increase biodiversity and absorb CO2, along with beehives and bug hotels.
The 86-room property features local artisan decor inspired by the spirit of Chiswick’s 19th century arts and crafts heritage, which valued craftsmanship over a perceived decline in quality from mass factory production.
From bespoke marbled print wallpaper to handcrafted mirrors, guests can expect work from rising creative talent at every turn. All loose bespoke furniture was manufactured within 10 miles of the property and made with Forest Stewardship Council timber. Fabrics and materials were selected to promote reuse and a circular economy beyond the current useful life.
room2 Chiswick has a zero-waste policy and is the first UK hotel to introduce food waste into its in-room recycling bins. Unable to find a 3-in-1 recycling bin in keeping with the hometel’s philosophy for design and simplicity of use, room2 designed and manufactured its own bespoke bin to include waste, recycling and food waste, to ensure 100% of waste is recycled or converted into energy off-site.
Of course, there’s much more to this property than just an eco-friendly structure. Guests can check-in to make the most of fully equipped kitchenettes, a mattress menu and full 24-hour stay, with both check-in and check-out at 2pm (no more packing in a flurry for 10am departures). The new hometel also offers a laundry room, gym with Peloton equipment, as well as an independently run café by day and cocktail bar by night specialising in locally sourced organic food, coffee and wine.
Robert says: “room2 puts a huge emphasis on our guest experience and connection to our local communities. With carbon emissions being the biggest threat to our planet, and with devastating impacts being felt across the world, we believe in our responsibility to prioritise our global communities and ensure our presence wouldn’t contribute further to the problem. We’ve done the hard work, so the guest has the full experience without the footprint.”
At a time when reducing the impact of climate change is more important than ever, room2 Chiswick has created an ideal destination for eco-conscious and responsible travellers looking for the ultimate stay in London.
Make it happen
How: Rooms at room2 Chiswick start from £129 per night for 2 people staying in a snug room. For more information, please visit www.room2.com/chiswick/.
Where: 10 Windmill Rd, Chiswick, London W4 1SD
PLUS: room2 Chiswick is offering a special introductory 25% discount available on all reservations taking place from 1st December 2021 to 28th Feb 2022.
