Whitbread PLC opened a sustainable Premier Inn hotel and the first low carbon Beefeater Grill restaurant in Burgess Hill. Located on Charles Avenue, the new hotel and restaurant have brought a total investment of £6 million into the local economy.
Guests at the new 60-bedroom hotel will enjoy the same facilities and amenities as every Premier Inn but with the knowledge that they are sleeping in a hotel built using sustainable construction technologies.
Adjacent to the hotel, Whitbread has developed its first low-carbon restaurant – a 220-cover Beefeater Grill which features technologies designed to significantly reduce energy consumption and demands on resources.
The sustainable construction technologies used in the development include:
1. Natural Energy from the Earth – ground-source heat pumps will use the earth’s natural energy to cool and heat the bedrooms and restaurant, and provide hot water throughout the hotel
2. Inventive Insulation – The hotel and restaurant will have high-efficiency thermal insulation, achieved by using natural and recycled materials that reduce energy usage by 50%
3. Clever Lighting – Automated light controls with motion sensors which ensures lights are only on when needed
4. Energy Efficient Kitchen Equipment – Including induction hobs, energy efficient fridges and dish washing machines
5. Re-using water – Rainwater harvesting and grey water recycling will include providing 100% of the hotel’s toilet water use and saving 20% of the entire water use
6. Low-flow showerheads – Showers will deliver the feel and effect of a powerful shower without the water consumption
7. Here comes the Sun – Solar panels will heat bath water
8. Timber frame construction – Both the Premier Inn hotel and Beefeater Grill restaurant will use timber frame construction methods from sustainably sourced wood
9. Waste management – The restaurant will use an Anaerobic digestion waste recycling scheme, where waste materials are broken down by microorganisms, which is then transformed into green electricity and biofertiliser for local crops.
Team members at the new hotel and restaurant will be trained to understand the technologies behind the design and to help with minimising everyday energy and water consumption, such as in washing, water usage, excessive heating or cooling.
Ryan Evans, General Manager of the Premier Inn hotel and Acorn Beefeater Grill says, “We are delighted to bring a new hotel and restaurant to West Sussex and I am so excited that we are up and running. Whether it’s staying in the hotel or having a meal with friends and family, we hope that our guests enjoy our new environmentally friendly establishments.”