Premier Inn opens green hotel

Budget hotel chain Premier Inn will open what it claims is the "UK's greenest hotel" in Staffordshire on Monday (December 8).

The Premier Inn Tamworth will use 80% less energy than a standard hotel, thanks to radically different approaches to heating, cooling, lighting and ventilation, according to the company.

Key features include:

• Ground-source heat pumps will use the earth's natural energy to cool and heat rooms and provide hot water throughout the hotel.

• Toilets flushed with recycled water from showers and baths will save 20% of the hotel's entire water usage and will provide 100% of the hotel's toilet water usage

• Sustainable sheep's wool from British sheep is used in the walls to create exceptionally efficient thermal and acoustic insulation

• Solar panels will heat bath water

Staff will be trained to understand the technology behind the design and to help with minimising everyday energy and water consumption, such as in washing, water usage, excessive heating or cooling.

Alan Parker, chief executive of Premier Inn's parent company Whitbread, said many of the schemes could be rolled out across the estate.

"We chose from a range of technology that we believe will deliver the most positive social and environmental impact on future hotel buildings," he said.

"As well as designing the hotel to be energy efficient, we will also be involving our team members and customers in the green challenge. This is a unique joint approach which we will be testing in Tamworth as a first step to making more green changes across our hotel estate."

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By Daniel Thomas

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