China’s First Carbon Neutral Hotel wins Accolade

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China’s first carbon neutral hotel was awarded a prestigious AUSTCHAM Australia-China Business Award in Hong Kong on Thursday night.

URBN Hotels was recognised for their significant investment in building China’s first Carbon neutral hotel with the CSL Sustainable Development Award.

URBN Hotels General Manager Wessel Krauss said that for the team behind URBN Hotels, which opened its carbon neutral 26-room hotel, in Jing An, Shanghai earlier this year, the statement that represents their philosophy best is: ‘sustainability is not a fashion, it’s a passion.’

“By renovating an existing downtown factory, focusing on using recycled and locally sourced materials such as reclaimed hardwoods and old Shanghai bricks, and introducing eco-friendly solutions like passive solar shades, and water based AC systems, URBN hopes to set an example for other businesses and industries in China and around the world,” Mr Krauss said.

“We track the total amount of energy (gas, water and electricity) the hotel consumes, including staff commutes, in order to calculate the carbon footprint. URBN then purchases credits to neutralize its carbon emissions by investing in local ‘green’ energy development and emission reduction projects.

“Our carbon neutral status has been an important feature in attracting visitors from US and Europe. We hope to expand to a new site in Shanghai, and are also looking at plans to build a hotel near Beijing,” Mr Krauss said.

The hotel also features an international cuisine restaurant, headed by Australian Chef Ben Fitton as well as tranquil courtyards and a rooftop outdoor area with amazing city views.

Austrade’s Shanghai-based Senior Trade Commissioner and China Country Manager Christopher Wright said URBN was paving the future for eco-friendly design and green tourism in China.

“International attention is often drawn to what are significant environmental problems in China, but the fact is China is attempting to improve its green credentials at both a city and national level. For example the Chinese government has mandated renewable energy projects for the country that will require $US350 billion in investment in just over a decade,” Mr Wright said.

“With the Shanghai 2010 World Expo themed ‘Better City, Better Life’, Shanghai authorities are demonstrating a commitment to sustainable and energy efficient urban design.

“Australia has internationally recognized expertise in this area and is well placed to win business and make strategic investments a great success, as demonstrated by URBN’s example,” Mr Wright said.