UK: room2hometels has showcased its creative approach towards a circular economy.
Lamington Group, founder of room2 hometels, launched the world’s first net zero hometel, room2 Chiswick in 2021. The company’s upcoming Belfast hometel will have a cafe bar made with recycled glass and a reception desk made with used soap bottles. It will also include features similar to the Chiswick hotel such as carpets made from recycled fishing nets, a plastic shredder and a moulder from the Sustainable Design Studio, to make items from plastic waste.
Rory Dickens from Sustainable Design Studio said: “The Sustainable Design Studio helps find innovative ways to tackle the damage that single-use plastic is causing around the world, working with organisations of all sizes to transform waste into opportunity through sustainable product and machine design. We offer eco-minded companies such as Lamington Group training on how to use our equipment and to create products made from waste materials.”
room2’s approach to circularity has five key principles which the brand has implemented creatively throughout its design, operations and guest experiences. These are:
1. Encourage low carbon design – All of the loose bespoke furniture in room2 Chiswick has been manufactured within 10 miles of the property and a total of 4,462 trees were planted to offset the carbon of all furniture.
2. Promote low waste – The brand has demonstrated this through designing its 3-in-1 bespoke bin which separates food waste from mixed packaging.
3. Promote innovation – room2 has included carpets, both in room2 Chiswick and Belfast, which are made from recycled fishing nets recovered from the ocean.
4. Generate value beyond disposable – room2 has added creative features such as reworked pendant lights from orange peel and food waste as well as creating a reception desk in Belfast from soap bottle waste from their operational hometels.
5. Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose – The Belfast property will have a café bar top made from recycled glass, vintage and re-worked café chairs and sofa cushion covers in the bedrooms which are 100% manufactured from plants and 100% biodegradable.
