Cosy and friendly... to the environment, too

• Newly built hotel went all out to provide comfort without the environmental cost
• 8 % of the total building costs were dedicated to 'green' measures 

To meet increasing demand from guests for environmentally friendly hotels, Yves Dupont decided to fully integrate a strategy of reducing energy consumption into the construction of a new hotel in Soissons, northern France.

The rooms are naturally cooled, and the insulation is efficient, 30 % of hot-water production comes from solar thermal cells located on the south terrace, the reticulated ventilation allows for heat recovery, and CO2 detectors are present in the meeting rooms, while movement detectors regulate outdoor lighting.

Key results

• Reinforcement of exterior wall insulation with mineral wool 150 mm thick
• Provision of 200 mm wood fibre insulation on the basement floor
• Reduction of heat-losing surfaces and installation of double-glazing

The total cost of the new hotel came to € 7 818 000, around 8 % of which was spent on the environmental measures. The investment was also subsidised by the regional government and Ademe (the French Environmental Agency) who each provided € 88 000.