Innovation

Mr. Wang stated that the whole hotel was built in an abandoned factory warehouse and all materials were 100% recycled construction waste. URBN hotel is the first environmental friendly hotel in China. Also, the air conditioning system uses a new technology called water-cooling air conditioning. This technology allows the system to use only a small amount of water to cool the entire building. This system can save 50% of electricity compared to normal air conditioning systems and it is absolutely cleaner than the normal air conditioning system.

Also since the entire lobby is a bamboo forest, there is no air conditioning in the lobby. The forest can create a comfortable temperature for the lobby. URBN hotel also provides clothes and electronic waste recycle service for guests. All the collected clothes are donated to local community and the electronics waste are collected by a recycle company in Shanghai. The innovation also exists in management processes of URBN hotel. URBN hotel has a routine meeting per week that allows employees to exchange new ideas about the hotel’s sustainability development. With brain storming sessions that provide management with new ideas, URBN hotel can keeps improving sustainable service for both guests and communities.

Inspiration

The original idea came out from the manager of URBN hotel. The manager, Mr. Wang, studied abroad and he had a deep understanding of sustainability. Mr. Wang wanted to bring this idea to Chinese hotel business by running a sustainable hotel in China. The motivation was to show the Chinese hospitality industry that hotels could be both sustainable and profitable. According to the interview, the average occupancy of the hotel is over 90% every day and the average daily rate was higher than most international brand hotels such as Hilton and Marriott. URBN hotel shows a strong potential for the success of sustainable hotels in China. Moreover, the success of URBN hotel has also inspired other boutique hotels in China that guests are willing to pay more to stay in environmental friendly hotels. From the financial perspective, URBN gives other small boutique hotels a strategy about competing with the international competitors in hotel business in China.

Overall impact

Shanghai URBN hotel is the first sustainable hotel in China. It has won “Sustainable Hotel of the Year in Asia Pacific” from The Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP). Shanghai URBN hotel was also awarded “Best Boutique Hotel” in 2009, 2010, 2011, from “That’s Shanghai” Travel Magazine. It has also been featured in over 1,000 media articles including New York Times, China Daily and CNNgo. The success of URBN hotel has a huge impact on Chinese hotel business. More and more hotels are studying URBN hotel’s design and business model. Thanks to URBN, Shanghai now has over ten sustainable boutique hotels now and in the future there will be more of them.

For the society, the donation from URBN hotel shows the society that hospitality industry in China is a society-caring industry. It creates an image that hospitality industry is helping the community become better. For the environment, URBN hotel saves more resources effectively by using advanced technology and sustainable design. Also, it helps to spread the idea of sustainability to more people. Also, URBN hotel is considering to open a new sustainable hotel in Shanghai. For the long-term concern, URBN’s success will inspire the entire hospitality industry of sustainability and pass its legacy to our next generation.

Business benefit

The average occupancy of the hotel is over 90% every day and the average daily rate was higher than most international brand hotel such as Hilton and Marriot. URBN hotel shows a strong potential of the success of sustainable hotel in China. Moreover, the success of URBN hotel has also inspired of other boutique hotels in China that guests are willing to pay more to stay in environmentally friendly hotels.

Social and environmental benefit

For the society, the donation from URBN hotel shows the society that hospitality industry in China is a society-caring industry. It creates an image that hospitality industry is helping the community become better. For the environment, URBN hotel saves more resources effectively by using advanced technology and sustainable design. Also, it helps to spread the idea of sustainability to more people. Also, URBN hotel is considering to open a new sustainable hotel in Shanghai. For the long-term concern, URBN’s success will inspire the entire hospitality industry of sustainability and pass its legacy to our next generation.

Interview

Felix Wang, Director of Sales