IHG Hotels & Resorts has named voco Zeal Exeter Science Park its 2025 opening of the year.

The hotel was opened in partnership with Zeal Hotels and was the first lifecycle net zero carbon hotel for both businesses.

Simon Lousada, director, Lousada Group and owner of voco Zeal Exeter Science Park, said: “After five years spanning design and construction, we’re delighted to have partnered with IHG and Valor Hospitality to bring to life what is widely regarded as the most sustainable branded hotel in Western Europe and we’re immensely proud of what has been achieved together.

“We opened the voco Zeal Exeter Science Park in February 2025, the first in a chain of net-zero carbon 100% electric hotels designed to operate entirely on renewable energy. The project prioritised sustainability at every stage; using sustainable construction methods and materials and incorporating some Passivhaus principles. The result is we use less than 50% of the energy a typical modern hotel uses and this reduces costs and materially increases our bottom line.

“Building on this success, we are now exploring opportunities to develop further sustainable hotels in key strategic locations across the UK.”

Brian McCarthy, President of Valor Hospitality UK & Europe, added: “We were delighted to be chosen by Zeal to manage the opening of this hotel. Barnaby Kean, General Manager, and the team have done a great job in bringing the Zeal vision to life and representing the voco brand. The hotel is a credit to them. Zeal Hotels have worked tirelessly to develop and deliver a super product; their energy is commendable.”

The hotel also won an award for achieving an all Green scorecard, achieving five of the five operational metrics.

IHG said: “This award recognises more than performance. It recognises purpose. It recognises courage. And above all, it recognises people.

“From the very beginning, this hotel set out to do something extraordinary - to deliver the first net-zero carbon hotel globally for IHG Hotels & Resorts. That ambition required vision from the Owner, belief from partners, and relentless leadership on property.

“At the heart of it all is the hotel’s general manager, Barnaby Kean, whose unwavering focus on truly sustainable operations has been nothing short of inspiring. His commitment is not theoretical - it’s operational, cultural, and deeply embedded in the daily rhythm of the hotel. He has motivated his team to go above and beyond in delivering the owner’s vision and ambition, ensuring sustainability is not a slogan on the wall but a standard in action.

“Every single team member has completed detailed carbon literacy training, alongside IHG, Valor Hospitality, and Zeal-specific learning. This isn’t compliance - it’s commitment. It means that every colleague is equipped to champion the message, to speak with confidence about what the hotel stands for, and to turn intention into impact.

“And that belief shows. Staff turnover has remained low - because people genuinely believe in what this hotel represents. They want to do their part. They respect their GM, their management company, and their owner. They feel part of something bigger than a building; they feel part of a movement.

“The collaboration behind this project has been equally remarkable. The partnership between the owner, the hotel team, and the IHG Hotels & Resorts team began even before signing and continued seamlessly through opening and post-opening handover. This was not a transactional relationship - it was a shared mission. A united commitment to setting a new global benchmark.

“And the impact hasn’t stopped at sustainability. Commercially, the hotel has ramped up with impressive momentum, capturing fair share and making its presence felt well beyond expectations. It proves that responsible hospitality and strong performance are not competing priorities - they are powerful partners.

 “In every sense, voco Zeal Exeter Science Park is a shining example for all new hotels to follow - not only for best-practice sustainability, which understandably captures the spotlight - but for the extraordinary work the hotel team delivers each and every day for their guests, their community, and our planet.

“This Impact Award recognises innovation. It recognises commercial strength. It recognises collaboration. But most of all, it recognises heart.”

The accolade followed the recent news that the hotel has been awarded the BREEAM Outstanding rating at the final assessment stage, the highest possible classification under the leading sustainability assessment method for buildings, this world-wide recognition resulted in the hotel being awarded ‘The Worldwide BREEAM commercial building of the Year 2025’

The award was the latest in a series of accolades for the team behind the hotel, most recently Large Hotel: New Project and the overall Project of the Year at the prestigious Sustainability in Design Awards 2026, hosted by Hospitality Interiors Magazine.

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