The project comes as a response to the awareness of consumers around the world who are recognizing and standing up for environmental challenges that impact their lives and economy. The hotel will be entirely carbon positive, beginning with its construction, until its ongoing operations post-completion. An ecological effort will also be present offsite, such as an initial commitment to plant trees that represent over 5,000 acres of forest, which will offset an embodied carbon footprint equivalent to nearly 500,000 gallons of gas, and remove additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Instead of purchasing untraceable carbon credits, Urban Villages is accomplishing Populus’ carbon positive status by proactively planting and growing trees to make a tangible impact. The structure will minimize its carbon footprint in the development stage using low-carbon concrete mixes, high-recycled content materials, maximizing structural efficiency, using fewer finish materials, and minimizing waste, to name a few. Populus’ ongoing operations will also be carbon positive, so that the hotel’s overall use (operational carbon) along with every guest stay will be offset in addition to the building’s embodied carbon.