room2 Southampton has been announced as the winner of the Drax Electric Vehicles competition at the EEA Summit, held on Tuesday 28 March 2023 at The Westin London City Hotel. Worth £10,000, the prize includes the supply, installation and first three years of free-of-charge software, service and maintenance of an electric vehicle (EV) charging station that will be added to room2 Southampton’s site, adding to its already stellar sustainability credentials.

This competition for Energy & Environment Alliance’s (EEA) members launched after research from Drax found that to accommodate electric vehicles, one in ten parking spaces needed to have an EV charging point, which will increase to one in five over the next ten years. This generous prize aims to urge businesses to keep up with this rapidly growing EV market.

Paul George, Commercial Manager, Drax, said: “We’re delighted to congratulate room2Southampton from the Lamington Group, who have been selected as the winner of this year’s Drax competition. The judges were highly impressed by their submission, which highlighted the property’s outstanding sustainability credentials. The addition of a Drax EV charging station will complement the hotel’s existing facilities. We’re hopeful that this partnership sets an excellent example for other hotels looking to prioritise sustainability.”

“The market for EV charging is rapidly growing, and hotels can benefit significantly from offering this service to their guests. Not only can it provide a competitive advantage and generate additional revenue, but it can also reduce the hotel’s carbon footprint and attract eco-conscious travellers and business travellers who drive EVs.”

room2 Southampton was the world’s first hometel and provides guests with the convenience and service of a hotel combined with the comforts and flexibility of their home, including fully equipped kitchens, sumptuous king beds and spacious spots to both work and relax. The hometel also provides spectacular views over Queens Park and the picturesque harbour, offering the perfect place to unwind. Now, with the addition of the electric vehicle charging station, Southampton can enhance guests’ stays while protecting the environment.

room2 Southampton is implementing sustainability practices throughout the building to carry out founder, Robert Godwin’s, pledge to develop and operate whole life net zero carbon buildings following the successful launch of room2 Chiswick – the world’s first whole life net zero hometel. To work towards this goal, room2 Southampton has installed solar panels, switched to a renewable energy provider, achieved zero waste to landfill and designed a bespoke 3-in-1 bin assisting guests in making a conscious effort to recycle and properly dispose of waste. Passionate about encouraging guests to make more environmentally conscious choices in their everyday lives, the new charging station will now give guests a more sustainable option when travelling to the property via car.

Managing Director and Founder of room2 hometels, Robert Godwin, accepted the award at the EEA Summit and comments: “We are honoured and very grateful to have won the Drax Electric Vehicles competition and hope this brings a new level of convenience to our guests that are looking to travel sustainably. We are committed to improving our sustainability practices wherever possible and the new EV charging points will be an important step in driving this forward. Thank you to Drax for making this possible!”

For more information about room2, visit www.room2.com.

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