A “beautiful aspen tree” has been planted on a triangular piece of land in downtown Denver, Mayor Mike Johnston said during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Populus Hotel.
The hotel opened to customers Tuesday, but the event Thursday marked the official opening of doors to the community. The hotel’s exterior was inspired by Colorado’s signature quaking aspens. The name Populus comes from the scientific term for aspens: Populus tremuloides.
“We really do hope that Denver will be proud of what we have accomplished here. It was really important to us that the design draws from the natural elements that can be found within the region, which have made Denver and Colorado so special,” said Juliane Wolf of Studio Gang, a Chicago-based architecture firm.
The 265-room, 13-story hotel sits at the north end of Civic Center Park and the Denver City and County Building. The rooftop restaurant and terrace have views of the Denver Art Museum, Denver Public Library and the state capitol.
There are plenty of views from inside as well from the many windows on all three sides of the building. The windows are shaped like the characteristic patterns on aspen trees. When the trees shed their lower branches, dark, eye-shaped marks are left on the bark.
On the exterior, the “lids” of each window stretch outward to shade the interior while also channeling rainwater, according to Studio Gang’s website.
Trees are at the heart of the hotel’s efforts to be the first “carbon-positive” hotel in the U.S. The terms “carbon neutral” and “net zero” are often used when talking about trying to reduce and offset emissions produced by buildings. Carbon positive can mean going beyond cutting emissions to create environmental benefits, such as producing more renewable energy than one building can use or offsetting more than one building’s carbon emissions.
George Prine, the hotel’s general manager and with the Aparium Hotel Group, said Populus worked with the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies to plant about 77,000 trees in Gunnison County as a way to help sequester carbon. Working with the National Forest Foundation, the hotel will plant one tree for every night’s stay, Prine said.
“We’re going to be planting 200,000 to 250,000 trees every year,” Prine said.
The project’s developer, Urban Villages in Denver, focused on creating an environmentally sustainable building.
“At our core, we are environmentalists. We’re looking at our responsibility in the built environment,” said Urban Villages CEO Grant McCargo. “We really do feel that we’re environmental stewards when we do a project. It’s not just for our time owning it, but are we creating a legacy that will go on for generations?”
Throughout the hotel, warm, earthy colors and natural materials are used. The main desk in the lobby was carved from a fallen cottonwood tree. The ceiling on the ground floor features distressed wood slats that came from snow fencing in Wyoming. A sculpture made from leather-like material grown from mushroom roots hangs over a restaurant entryway.
Populus will use 100% renewable sources for its electricity, hotel officials said.
Wood from trees killed by beetles covers the wall behind the check-in desk and was also used for some of the headboards in the rooms. The hotel’s artwork includes pieces by local artists. Elevator rides feature bird songs recorded in Rocky Mountain National Park by Jacob Job, a Colorado-based conservationist and natural sound recording artist.
Amenities include two restaurants: Pasque and Stellar Jay. Pasque is named after a wildflower native to Colorado and will anchor the ground floor. Stellar Jay is named after a common Colorado bird. The restaurants are using a biodigester to convert food waste into compost and fertilizer.
The rates for a room at Populus start at around $299 and range up to $899. The hotel didn’t disclose the project’s entire cost.
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In a magnificent stride forward in the arena of sustainable architecture, Denver proudly opens its doors to the Carbon-positive Populus Hotel, set in the city’s bustling downtown district. This pioneering establishment projects a brand-new perspective on eco-travel, standing as a beacon of sustainability that highlights the balance between cutting-edge design and environmental responsibility.
The Populus Hotel, named to pay tribute to the genus of trees commonly known as poplar, has been engineered with a focus on the natural world, sustainability, and an eloquent representation of minimalist ethos combined with extravagant comfort. This hotel stands as the world’s first carbon-positive hotel, surpassing the already significant benchmark of carbon neutrality.
At the heart of this pioneering concept is the promise of a stay where guests’ carbon footprints don’t merely mitigate but contribute positively to the environment. The hotel has been designed with a series of sustainable technologies and strategies, specifically arranged to absorb more carbon than it emits, hence, the title, ‘carbon-positive.’
Every component of the hotel has sustainability at its core, starting from its location, specifically chosen to maximize sun exposure and natural daylight penetration and minimize energy needs. The building has been constructed using sustainable materials. Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), a carbon-sequestering material sourced from responsibly managed forests, has been used substantially throughout the hotel, thus reducing embodied carbon emissions.
The Populus Hotel is also equipped with an array of on-site renewable energy sources, including an extensive solar panel system all across the property and a ground-source heat pump system. These systems ensure that the property creates its own energy, reducing demands on local power resources while ensuring that the guests enjoy all modern luxuries.
In addition, various water recycling systems have been installed throughout the hotel, helping to conserve a significant volume of water. Rainwater is collected and recycled for gardening purposes; greywater is treated and used for toilet flushing. The hotel also boasts of waste reduction strategies, with the inclusion of waste composting and enhanced recycling facilities.
The Populus not only offers sustainability techniques but also ensures lavish accommodation for its patrons. Hotel rooms are adorned with chic, nature-inspired decor that integrates seamlessly with smart energy-saving systems. Dining options stipulate organically sourced food and beverages, encouraging guests to leverage sustainable living practices even during their stay.
Located in the heart of Denver, the Populus Hotel offers easy access to downtown’s most exciting attractions, yet, it offers a serene getaway with its lush green spaces around the hotel, a rooftop garden providing panoramic views while playing its part in improving Denver’s air quality.
The Populus Hotel’s unique proposition sets the standards high for hospitality businesses worldwide. As the world becomes increasingly cognizant of the importance of sustainability, the Populus Hotel stands as a testament to the fact that eco-friendly solutions and luxury aren’t mutually exclusive but can seamlessly co-exist.
The opening of the Carbon-positive Populus Hotel is a landmark event in Denver’s hotel industry. It underscores the city’s commitment to sustenance and progress in the global fight against climate change.
With more people increasingly making conscious choices about their impacts on the environment, the Populus Hotel offers an unrivaled, satisfying experience where guests can enjoy not just a comfortable, luxury stay but also contribute to environment conservation. And in doing so, it is not only a hotel, but it’s also a revolution redefining the way hospitality and sustainability dance together in perfect harmony.
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Carbon-positive Populus Hotel opens in downtown Denver
