This Incoming York Hotel Will Be Totally Net Zero

3 months ago

room2 York will bring the hometel concept to the ancient city

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Having made waves in London and Belfast, eco hometel brand room2 is officially coming to one of the UK’s oldest, most storied cities. From family-owned B-Corp real estate investor and developer Lamington Group, here’s what to expect from room2 York.

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CGI mock up of room2 York

Coming Soon: room2 York

Development on room2 York is scheduled to kick off this summer, bringing the brand’s award-winning eco hometel concept to the ancient city. Tucked inside the city’s castle walls, room2 York will house 116 guest rooms under its roof, along with a meeting space, on-site laundry room, gym, and a new cafe and bar concept, Winnie’s, specialising in home cooked, locally grown food. It’s the first time the brand has ventured to the North, following successful openings in Chiswick, Hammersmith, Southampton (the brand’s first opening), and just across the pond in Belfast.

‘room2 York will be a fantastic development that we are delighted to be progressing despite challenging economic conditions,’ Robert Godwin, CEO at Lamington Group, the company behind the room2 brand. ‘In line with our One Living Planet strategy, we are proud to continue the creation of long term environmental and social value for our partners, guests and community.’

CGI mock up of a bedroom

The Design

As with all room2 properties, the design of the York outpost will draw inspiration from its surroundings. In York, one of the UK’s oldest cities, the concept is ‘modernising mediaeval’, translating the ancient surroundings through a contemporary lens. The result will be a warm and inviting space including bold colours and artistic wallpapers alongside reclaimed timber flooring, recycled textiles, restored joinery, and vibrant upholstery and artwork from makers in the local community.

Inspired by York Cathedral’s Five Sisters window, stained glass lighting pendants will also sit alongside carefully selected modern lighting.

How Is It Net Zero?

So how do we know room2 York is net zero before the ground has even been broken? Because the carbon output of every stage of development will be reduced where possible before being meticulously measured and offset, room2 tells us. Every project involves unavoidable emissions, and carbon offsetting is the industry standard for neutralising these emissions. For room2 Chiswick, the offsetting partner was a nature-based reforesting company in Nicaragua.

Additionally, room2 York has been designed to meet operational and embodied net zero standards in accordance with the UKGBC net zero carbon framework, which is verified in design by Savills Earth. This means the property has been designed to achieve ultra-low energy standards so, once the hometel opens its doors, it will remain carbon neutral. room2 York will be fully electric, partially powered by roof solar panels, with all energy renewable; showers will be fitted with wastewater heat recovery systems; and ventilation will be CO2 sensor controlled. The design also meets WELL Platinum’s requirements, meaning it will have the highest standard of health and wellbeing spaces for guests and team members.

When building commences, room2 York will be built with the same ethos that underpinned room2 Chiswick – which, in 2021, became London’s first whole life net zero hotel. As mentioned above, reclaimed and recycled materials will reduce the carbon footprint of the interiors.