LOW-ENERGY HOTELS PREMIER INN


Whitbread shows that budget hotels can be green too How shared services help cut energy and water use at a Premier Inn and Beefeater Grill site


The new Premier Inn at Barry, south Wales builds on the experience of Whitbread’s 10 previous green new builds stretching back to the opening of the Tamworth Premier Inn in Staffordshire in 2008. Chris George, head of the company’s energy and environment, says: ‘Whitbread is using its expertise to lead the UK hospitality industry to become more sustainable. Our intention was to learn from our existing sustainable hotels at Burgess Hill in West Sussex and Tamworth in Staffordshire, and to design an even more impressive product. We have done that and demonstrated, once again, that


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green hotel design is possible within the mainstream market and does not have to mean boutique or expensive.’ New builds aim for a minimum design standard of a ‘Very Good’ BREEAM rating, although Barry will achieve ‘Excellent’. While design features will always be site-specific, recent


projects have focused on: ● Ground source heat pumps These use the earth’s energy to cool and heat rooms and provide hot water throughout the hotel. Some 70% of hot water, heating and cooling will be provided in this way;


● Low-flow showerheads These have been installed in


guest bathrooms, and toilets are flushed with recycled water from showers and baths to cut down on freshwater use;


● Low energy LED lighting Used in the hotel reception, bars and restaurant areas. Corridor and stairwell lighting is controlled by presence detectors and energy-saving key card switches are provided in the guest bedrooms to prevent energy wastage;


● Mechanical heat recovery units These allow fresh air to be delivered to each room, capturing the energy from the air it replaces;


● Highly efficient insulation Manufactured from naturally


occurring and recycled materials, is used in the walls to create efficient thermal and acoustic insulation; and


● High-efficiency kitchen equipment


This is installed to reduce energy wasted during cooking and refrigeration.


Where technologies have been tested and proven to make a significant difference to Whitbread’s energy and water footprint over a reasonable payback period, it adds them to its standard specifications for refurbishment projects. Hotel buildings are refurbished on a three- to six-year cycle.


October 2012 CIBSE Journal 7


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