Multi-national conglomerate Virgin has announced its first branded hotel has achieved LEED Gold Certification, with the company outlining ambitious plans to create a zero carbon footprint hotel business.

Virgin Hotels Chicago, located in the US city’s Loop district, has been awarded the accreditation by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), which analyses the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

CEO of Virgin Hotels Raul Leal pledged the company would continue to think green. He said: "Our goal as a company is to have all our properties achieve LEED Silver, so we are ecstatic to have exceeded this benchmark in Chicago. As we continue to open additional properties, we have aspirational goals of moving towards a net zero carbon footprint across the board."

The 250-room Chicago hotel opened last year inside a 1920s Art Deco bank building, renovated by the European office of David Rockwell’s design practice. The building's interiors were reconditioned to its original form, including the lobby desk and ornate plaster ceilings, but modern updates – including high-performance windows, sensor lighting, water-efficient toilets and high insulation walls and roofing – were installed to meet LEED certification standards.

"While keeping the historic elements of the existing building we creatively were able to do a good amount of work, such as adding a roof deck terrace expanding the existing penthouse with a new green roof above," said Jefferson Thomas, director of architecture for Virgin Hotels. "We are also using technology such as smart thermostats and occupancy sensors as a way to save energy when guests are not occupying the hotel guestrooms."

Guests at the hotel are also being encouraged to donate US$0.75 per night to offset their carbon footprint during their stay.

The founding chair of USGBC, Rick Fedrizzi, praised Virgin Hotels for its efforts. He said: “This remaking of a Chicago landmark into a 21st century model of energy and water efficiency, waste reduction, and human health enhancement is a significant achievement and sets a high bar for the global hospitality sector.

"Chicago is one of the great global cities, setting a high bar for sustainability across its iconic skyline. From The Loop to Lakeshore Drive, from McCormick Place to the Merchandise Mart, so many of the city's great buildings proudly display their LEED plaques as a symbol of their environmental commitment.“

Virgin Hotels is planning to open Nashville and New York properties next, and a 200-bedroom hotel and spa will open in the Design District of Dallas, Texas, in 2018.

The company said it is continuing to explore properties in cities such as Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, Austin, Seattle, San Francisco, Washington D.C. and London, and is pursuing both hotel and office conversions as well as ground-up development.

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