Populus, the country’s first carbon positive hotel, will officially opens its doors on September 18 in Denver, Colorado. The property will begin to offset its operational carbon immediately with the launch of its ‘One Night, One Tree’ program. Launched in partnership with the National Forest Foundation (NFF), the program will see one tree planted for every night’s stay in the hotel—for a total of up to 20,000 newly-planted trees in 2024.
The program is part of Populus’ larger sustainability focus, which aims to sequester more carbon than its combined embodied and operational footprint throughout its lifecycle through initiatives including regenerative agriculture, 100% renewable electricity, and zero-waste dining.
“We’re excited to invite guests to join us in our commitment to plant one tree for every night of their stay, right here in Colorado, taking the guesswork out of sustainable travel and helping to reshape our environment one tree at a time,” Populus’ general manager, George Prine, said.
Populus in Denver.
Studio Gang
Developed by Urban Villages and part of the Aparium Hotel Group, the 265-room Populus will mitigate its carbon footprint through forest management—or silviculture—and regenerative agricultural partnerships. These programs will see the hotel sequester more carbon than is emitted by the building’s construction and operation throughout its lifecycle, demonstrably removing carbon from the atmosphere and having a net positive effect on climate change.
The hotel’s embodied carbon—i.e. the carbon emitted during the creation, transportation, installation, maintenance, and disposal of the materials used to build the hotel—has already been reduced through a combination of sustainable design and construction techniques and offset by planting and fostering the growth of over 70,000 trees in Gunnison County, Colorado, in summer 2022.
The building’s architecture and design, created by AD100 Studio Gang, is biophilic, meaning it seeks to use natural elements to create a sense of connection to the environment. The design was informed by the growth process of Colorado’s native aspen tree, Populus Tremuloides.
“Populus will show that conscious traveling doesn’t need to be a sacrifice,” Prine continued. “In fact, it can significantly enhance the guest experience through thoughtful design, engaging programming, delicious food and drink, superior service, and the knowledge of making a positive impact.”
Populus suite.
Nephew
A tree planted for every night’s stay
Populus guests will be able to actively play a role in reforestation through the property’s partnership with the NFF, which will plant one tree per night on guests’ behalf. Guests will also have the option to purchase additional trees to support Populus’ efforts.
“When we broke ground on Populus in 2022 with a commitment to be carbon-positive, we wanted to remain transparent about our continuously evolving strategy with the hopes of making an impact on our environment and inspiring others— developers, hoteliers, and consumers—to take a greener approach,” said Urban Villages president Jon Buerge.
Populus trees will be planted in two Colorado regions: the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests, which focus on forest health improvement in response to a spruce beetle epidemic and aspen decline, and the White River National Forest, which focuses on disturbance recovery from the 2018 Lake Christine Fire and is positioned at the top of Basalt Mountain. The trees planted will be a mix of Engelmann spruce, Lodgepole pine, and Douglas fir—native and ecologically appropriate species picked by Forest Service professionals to improve the conditions for each specific forest.
Populus selected NFF as a partner due to its ability to meet the hotel’s silvicultural objectives within Colorado. The organization maintains a close relationship with the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service; together, they ensure long-term tree monitoring and protection through regular seedling monitoring, random sampling, and browse protectors.
Stellar Jay, Populus’ rooftop bar.
Nephew
On-site, Populus will also include a diverse variety of trees and local vegetation through its onsite roof garden and streetscape designed by Denver-based landscape architecture firm, Superbloom. The green roof will include a four-season garden filled with perennial trees, shrubs, and plant species that support habitat and pollination, provide a cooling effect in the harsh sun through shading and evapotranspiration, and enhance biodiversity in the dense urban environment.
Surrounding the hotel’s streetscape, Populus is planting a canopy of trees that mimic the conditions and benefits of a forest. Made possible by grants from The Nature Conservancy and the Downtown Denver Partnership’s Urban Forest Initiative, whose goal is to reimagine how trees are planted and cared for in downtown Denver, Populus’ onsite trees are planted in Silva Cells, underground structural supports that provide the trees access to un-compacted soil similar to a natural forest environment where tree roots intermingle, while also supporting the weight of the concrete sidewalk. This technology allows for mature tree growth and also brings benefits to the local atmosphere—including reducing ambient temperatures by 10 degrees and a reduction in particulates from car exhaust fumes.
“Our team has worked tirelessly to ensure that every detail reflects our commitment to the environment and that we’re partnering with organizations like the National Forest Foundation who uphold that same commitment,” Prine said.
“This level of innovation requires bold thinking and meticulous planning, which is why you haven’t seen it done before on this scale.”
Pasque, Populus’ ground floor restaurant.
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An environmentally-forward guest experience
Other aspects of the Populus guest experience will put sustainability at the forefront, including in-room products from Grown Alchemist made from plant-based extracts; a bar and snack menu featuring spirits by Dry Land Distillery, a Longmont-based distillery inspired by Colorado’s landscapes and Quinn Pretzels, whose mission is to create change within the food system; and reusable water bottles from MiiR, a Climate Neutral Certified brand, to be refilled at water stations throughout the hotel.
A LEED Gold Certified building, Populus has also committed to 100% renewable electricity through Xcel Energy, which provides the hotel with Renewable Energy Certificates equivalent to 100% renewable electricity from Colorado wind farms.
Populus guest suite.
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Table-to-farm dining and a circular solution to food waste
Populus’ restaurants, Pasque and Stellar Jay, will remain committed to zero-waste dining and feature nature-based, farm-to-table menus complemented by regionally sourced proteins. The restaurants will then turn 100% of food waste into compost to be shared with local farmers, establishing a circular solution for food waste.
To achieve this, Populus will also be the first hotel in downtown Denver to use technology from BioGreen360—an innovator in distributed food waste management solutions, which diverts 100% of food waste away from landfills and into all-natural compost—called food cycling. All food waste will be inserted into BioGreen360’s waterless aerobic digesting system that uses microbial formulae and mechanical and evaporation technologies to repurpose waste into an array of compost and fertilizer products that will then be distributed to local farms in Colorado.
Populus will also be partnering with Zero Foodprint, Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment, and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide Colorado farmers and ranchers with grant resources to extend regenerative agricultural and ranching practices that restore soil health, sequester carbon in the ground, and improve the food system while mitigating climate change. By drawing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in the soil, these regenerative farmers not only help to restore the climate but produce better food, thriving farms, and a food system that remains resilient in the face of climate change.
As a Zero Foodprint member, Populus will commit 1% of its restaurant sales to regenerative farming. This amount will be matched by Wolfe’s Neck, through their USDA Partnership for Climate Smart Commodities.
Populus is also committed to sourcing produce directly from its regenerative farm partners whenever possible. Through these relationships, Pasque and Stellar Jay will receive consciously sourced ingredients and will be able to track the carbon sequestration potential of each farm and how it contributes to the hotel’s carbon positive commitment. The two restaurants will also source proteins and wine from small farms and producers who share sustainability efforts as a result of longstanding relationships with executive chef Ian Wortham and director of food & beverage, Curtis Landrum.
Populus lobby entrance.
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Tracking and transparency
To ensure ongoing tracking and transparency of all sustainability efforts, the Populus team has engaged Lotus Engineering & Sustainability, a female-owned, data-driven firm that delivers responsible and progressive sustainability solutions for businesses throughout Colorado and the country.
The Lotus team will gather all relevant Populus data related to embodied carbon, operational carbon, building energy systems, transportation, waste stream, and current offsetting strategies to create a dashboard that will regularly track the hotel’s performance throughout its lifecycle.
“Our approach goes beyond removing carbon from the atmosphere and aims to help rebuild our local forests, support regenerative farmers, and inspire a deeper connection with nature—all without ever compromising on the guest experience,” Buerge said.
“We believe [Populus] will inspire the industry to rethink how hotels can contribute positively to the environment.”
Populus is located at 240 14th Street in Denver. Reservations are currently available with rates starting at $299/night for guest rooms and $499+ for suites.
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Publish date : 2024-08-22 09:59:00
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