Radisson Blu Hotel, Bengaluru Outer Ring Road reaches milestone in green building excellence as the first LEED NET ZERO CARBON certified hotel in Radisson Hotel Group’s global portfolio

Radisson Blu Hotel, Bengaluru Outer Ring Road is the first hotel in Radisson Hotel Group’s global portfolio to be awarded the prestigious LEED Net Zero Carbon Certificate by the US Green Building Council.

Issued by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), this top-level certification is reflective of Radisson Blu Hotel, Bengaluru Outer Ring Road’s excellence in building technology, control and operations and shows the many impactful steps, including investments in renewable energy and innovation, the hotel has taken to ensure a consistent reduction of its carbon footprint and helping propel the region forward in eco-friendly innovation. 

LEED Net Zero Carbon certification takes lessening the impact of buildings on the environment to the next level. For more than two decades, LEED has provided a framework for high performance buildings and spaces, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions through strategies impacting land, energy, transportation, water, waste and materials. Building on that work, USGBC has developed LEED Zero, an addition to LEED that verifies the achievement of net zero goals in existing buildings.¹ Radisson Blu Hotel, Bengaluru Outer Ring Road is the first hotel in Radisson Hotel Group’s global portfolio to achieve this significant milestone. 

On top of achieving LEED 4.1 O+M Existing Buildings Platinum Certification last year, to achieve this next-level certification, the hotel has fully offset its annual carbon emissions of 4,038 Metric Tons caused due to its transportation, electricity and diesel use. This was done via a combination of strategies which included solar power plants (both on- and offsite), an onsite biogas plant and through the purchase of Gold Standard Verified Carbon Units for the remaining emissions. The onsite and offsite solar power plant itself generates energy, which ensures that the hotel building is 100% powered by green energy and maintains net-zero energy consumption throughout the year.

Next to that, the hotel also operates to the highest standards of green operations which include: 

• Eco-Friendly Transportation Solutions: Most of the hotel’s cars used for guest commutes are EVs and in addition, these cars charge on site with electricity that is generated from the hotel’s solar plant.
• Effective Waste Management: To avoid using single-use plastic bottled water, the hotel has installed an in-house water bottling plant and refills glass bottles used in all guest rooms, restaurants and banquet facilities. This system alone has allowed to avoid more than a tonne of plastic waste every year.
• Full-Scale Rainwater Harvesting and circular water use: The hotel excels on minimizing water use. It has a robust rainwater capture, reuse, and recharge system in place. Over 40% of the roof area is used for storing in the rainwater sump and re-using the captured rainwater for domestic purpose through a softener plant. Next to that, the water used for the large on-site laundry is 100% circular. An ETP (Effluent Treatment Plant) of 40 Kilolitres per day (KLD) has been installed to recycle all the hotel’s laundry water. 
• In-house bio-gas plant: Converts waste into biogas which is sufficient to fully supply the staff canteen for cooking purposes. The useful by-product of the process is high-quality organic sludge, which is further used to fertilize the gardens. This has allowed the hotel to completely move away from non-organic fertilizers and achieve 100% circularity as far as organic waste management is concerned, making it an industry first in the hospitality sector in India. 

Mr. Austin Roach, Chairman, Radisson Blu Hotel, Bengaluru Outer Ring Road – A venture by Roach Lifescapes comments: “After our LEED Platinum 4.1 O+M which is based on the highest environmental performance in building technology and operations, we took additional steps to excel as the first LEED Net Zero Carbon certified hotel in the entire Radisson Hotel Group Portfolio. At Radisson Blu Hotel, Bengaluru Outer Ring Road sustainability is not about following a trend, but is a sincere way of life and a way to attract and retain business.” 

Nikhil Sharma, Managing Director & Area Senior Vice President - South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group, mentioned: "Achieving LEED Net Zero Carbon certification at Radisson Blu Hotel, Bengaluru Outer Ring Road sets a new sustainability benchmark for our portfolio. This milestone is just the beginning of our unwavering commitment to climate action, as we work towards achieving Net Zero across all our properties through renewable electricity, building efficiency, and energy optimization." 

Commenting on the development, Inge Huijbrechts, Chief Sustainability and Security Officer, Radisson Hotel Group, says: “As a global brand and leading hospitality group, we are committed to become Net Zero by 2050. Hotels like Radisson Blu Hotel, Bengaluru Outer Ring Road, and its owner, Mr. Roach, reflect true commitment to sustainability leadership. The LEED Net Zero Carbon certification shows that the path to Net Zero is feasible today and a leading example for hotel owners around the world. Together, we will continue to innovate and expand our efforts globally.”