The voco Zeal Exeter is the UK’s first net zero carbon branded hotel, designed to exceed future sustainability standards. Developed by Zeal Hotels in partnership with RED Construction, this 5,000m², 142-room hotel demonstrates how sustainability and luxury can coexist.
The hotel integrates passive solar design, biophilic elements such as brown roofs and creation of ecological habitats contributing towards a biodiversity net gain, as well as an innovative energy management system. With a BREEAM Outstanding rating of 89.2% achieved at design stage and a final 87.5% post construction score submitted to the BRE, this far surpasses the 85% threshold and sets vocoZeal Exeter as a replicable precedent for sustainable hospitality worldwide. As a replicable, scalable model, this project accelerates net zero adoption across the hospitality sector, proving that climate action and commercial success can go hand in hand.
Key features include:
- Zero carbon Balance: The hotel generates the equivalent renewable energy that is required by the hotel through a roof top PV array comprising some 384 panels and 1,465m² of Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), providing an intelligent active façade system, and a high-performance building envelope.
- 46% reduction in the whole life cycle embodied carbon compared to a benchmark new build hotel. This was achieved through sustainable material selection including reinforced concrete (RC) with 60% GGBS and verified by real time carbon tracking and lifecycle assessments.
- Zero on-site combustion: A fossil fuel free building services solution ensures no reliance on gas thus aligning with future carbon neutrality targets.
