The United States’ First Carbon Positive Hotel Breaks Ground In Denver

This story was updated on January 3, 2024.

Urban Villages, a leading real estate developer and environmental steward, has announced the start of construction on Populus, the first carbon positive hotel in the Unites States. Opening in summer 2024 in Denver, the 265-room hotel will include a rooftop restaurant and bar offering spectacular views of the mountains and city skyline, distinct retail destinations and event spaces, and an iconic Aspen tree-inspired design by AD100 architecture and urban design practice, Studio Gang.

Urban Villages is developing Populus to be carbon positive thanks both to its sustainable design and construction features as well as a substantial ecological effort offsite, including an initial commitment to planting trees that represent over 5,000 acres of forest – offsetting an embodied carbon footprint equivalent to nearly 500,000 gallons of gas and removing additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

“To truly impact our earth, carbon neutral developments are no longer enough. Populus will be entirely carbon positive starting with its construction and continuing through to its ongoing operations while acting as a vibrant social center for locals and visitors,” says Grant McCargo, Urban Villages’ Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Environmental Officer, and Partner. “Not only will Populus be the country’s first carbon positive hotel, but it will be a stunning architectural landmark by Studio Gang that will forever alter Denver’s skyline and contribute to the architectural legacy of the entire Mountain West.”

A recent study by Kind Traveler shows that 96% of travelers want their vacation dollars to positively impact the place they visit – further underscoring the demand for a destination like Populus. Further, real estate’s impact on the environment is dire and intensifying, with buildings currently accounting for 45 percent of greenhouse emissions in the United States* – and this includes the development of new hotels. In fact, the world will add the square-footage equivalent of New York City every 35 days. Urban Villages is responding to this immediate crisis, in part, with Populus, which will surpass its carbon footprint by implementing green practices derived from extensive research and scientific studies. Instead of purchasing untraceable carbon credits as many others do, Urban Villages is accomplishing Populus’ carbon positive status by proactively planting and growing trees to make a tangible impact.

Populus 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, minimizing waste, and more. This considers every stage of Populus, beginning with the origin of materials, as well as the carbon footprint of creating and transporting them. 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.

Rendering of the lobby area in Populus, the first carbon positive hotel in the united states

Conceived by Wildman Chalmers Design, Populus’ interiors are designed to align with the building’s overall reverence for nature and instantly recognizable Aspen-tree architecture – starting with the ground floor lobby and restaurant, filled with warm browns and woods reminiscent of a forest floor; moving up through the trunk and branches of the main floors where the guest rooms and suites reside; and leading up to the rooftop restaurant, bar, and hospitality suites, which represent a celebration of color and natural light, mimicking the lush canopy of a tree. Wildman Chalmers Design carefully utilized natural woods, textures, and finishes that embrace the imperfection found in a forest and bring warmth to the building’s bold architecture and exposed concrete core and ceilings. All interiors, from the materials to the furniture and art, are designed with sustainability at the forefront to minimize the building’s carbon footprint through innovative, consciously sourced materials. Many design elements and custom furnishings were brought to life by New York-based Fowler, which is led by Emma and Michelle Fowler, and partnered with Wildman Chalmers Design on the interiors of Populus.

Rendering of a hotel room with a bed and lounge area.

“We approached Populus’ design vision from an experience standpoint first – thoughtfully
curating colors, textures, and shapes that not only look beautiful, but appeal to all of the senses and emotions, just as a walk through the forest would,” said Heather Wildman, Principal and Design Director of Wildman Chalmers Design. “By taking cues from nature and partnering with local artisans, we hope to create a strong connection between the design of Populus and the earth and its surroundings. The result will be a hospitality experience that’s warm, welcoming, and uniquely Colorado.”

For more information on Populus, visit urban-villages.com. 

*via 2021 US Energy Information Administration.
Renderings by Studio Gang.

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