Partner Article

RED Construction South West breaks ground on first net energy generating zero carbon Zeal Hotel

RED Construction South West has started on site to deliver the £22m 4-star Zeal Hotel in Exeter, following planning consent granted from East Devon District Council.

Joining the highly collaborative team of Zeal Hotels, ECE Westworks, Introba and Hydrock Bristol, RED Construction South West has been instrumental in delivering a design that has been 4 years in the making. Zeal Hotel’s planned scheme is located within the Exeter Science Park and spans 5,000m2. The Net Zero Carbon hotel will include 142 bedrooms, restaurant space and bar with private dining, conference facilities and a gym, as well as electric vehicle and electric bike charging points. Targeting an industry leading BREEAM Rating of Outstanding, the Zeal hotel will include the integration of renewable energy sources both on and within the building fabric, to deliver an exceptionally low Energy Usage Intensity below 55kWh/m2, generating more energy each year than it consumes. The building will also be constructed achieving the RIBA 2030 embodied carbon built target of less than 750kgCO2/m2.

The developed design has followed Net Zero Carbon principles throughout to establish its green credentials: ensuring a fabric first approach to the envelope design, the adoption of sustainable low-energy solutions and low embodied carbon materials, as well as the adoption and incorporation of green renewable technologies.  

Set to open in late 2024, the 4-star Zeal Hotel will be completed with a minimalistic internal fit-out including living trees within the main hotel. The external landscaping is set to include herb gardens, green and brown roofs, and extensive ecological habitat improvements.

RED Construction South West Managing Director, Derek Quinn, commented: “We were elated to hear that Zeal Hotels had secured planning permission from East Devon District Council, and we at RED Construction South West are delighted to be breaking the ground to bring the first sustainable ‘Zeal Hotel’ to life. Many elements of this milestone scheme call on our team’s technical specialities and capabilities; our expertise in the region makes us a great partner for this pioneering hotel, and we look forward to now proceeding with this prestigious development.”

Tim Wheeldon, managing director, Zeal Hotels, said: “There are a number of challenges in creating a net zero carbon building and RED Construction South West was the obvious choice to ensure that the build will run smoothly. We have worked with RED on two previous projects and were impressed by their attention to detail and by our shared philosophy of minimising our impact on the environment and working towards ever-greater sustainability.” 

The news follows the announcement earlier this year that RED Construction Group has seen its revenue more than double in the last financial year, a 164% increase, facilitated by sustainable growth in regional and project diversification.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Nick Thornton .