The World’s Most Environmentally Friendly Hotel to Open Near North Pole08.11.2018

The most environmentally friendly hotel in the world is currently under construction in the Arctic. 

The hotel was designed by Norwegian design studio Snøhetta. Located in the Arctic Circle, the Svart Hotel (the name is a reference to the Svartisen glacier located in northern Norway) is designed to consume 85% less energy than other modern hotels—while simultaneously producing more energy than it needs to sustain operations.

How is that possible? The roof of the hotel, the structure itself sitting in the fjord, will be lined with mobile solar panels that will follow the sun as it arcs across the sky, providing the hotel with a reliable source of electricity. Additionally, electricity will also be drawn from numerous geothermal wells situated near the hotel. The floor plans will also play a significant part in slashing the hotel’s energy footprint—the floors will be arranged to minimize heat loss and promote a more equal distribution of heat in the suites. 

Svart is supposed to be utilitarian and strikingly beautiful at the same time. Its design was inspired by sub-Arctic nature and the homesteads of local fishermen. The architects also called for using recycled wood in the construction work, while one of the hotel’s most striking features, the wooden beams on which the structure rests, have supposedly been inspired by fish drying racks common to the area. 

“Building in such a precious environment comes with clear obligations in terms of preserving the natural beauty and the fauna and flora of the site,” said Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, the founding partner of Snøhetta, the firm responsible for designing the hotel.

Interestingly, guests will be able to reach the hotel exclusively via ship. Svart is slated to open its doors in 2021.