SINGAPORE: An ‘energy neutral’ hotel is to be developed in Singapore by SGX Mainboard-listed OUE Limited (OUE) after the company was awarded the tender by Changi Airport Group (CAG).
Hotel Indigo Changi Airport will aim to achieve operational energy neutrality by incorporating sustainability features, including solar panels, hybrid cooling systems, naturally ventilated corridors and rainwater-harvesting technology.
Lee Seow Hiang, chief executive officer of CAG said: “The hotel concept proposed by OUE was the most compelling and promises to be the first zero-energy hotel in Singapore, and possibly the first for an airport hotel in the world.
“We congratulate OUE on being awarded the tender and look forward to a close partnership in the coming years to bring the idea for Hotel Indigo Changi Airport to life.”
Hotel Indigo Changi Airport, which is expected to be operational by 2028, will be located in the public area of the airport and connected to Terminal 2 via a linkway.
It will have a rooftop day club, bar and an infinity pool with views of the runway, airport boulevard and skyline.
The 255 room-property will incorporate biophilic design, including a ‘floating forest’ which will be made up of layers of rainforest flora and hanging plants stretching over seven storeys.
Deputy chief executive officer and executive director OUE, Brian Riady said: “By combining energy-efficient design with low-energy operations while maximising on-site solar energy generation, Hotel Indigo Changi Airport marks a major milestone for OUE as we continually strive to find more sustainable ways to conduct our business.”
In January last year Singapore was certified as a sustainable destination based on the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s Destination Criteria, after being the first to apply the certification process on a country level.
In the 2023 Global Destination Sustainability Index, Singapore improved 18 places to be ranked second place in APAC and 17th globally out of 100 destinations.
Singapore will be hosting the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Conference 13-16th November this year.
Image: Proposed 255-key hotel targeted to be Singapore’s first zero-energy hotel (Image credit: OUE)