- Radisson has opened two verified net-zero hotels in Manchester and Oslo, designed to significantly reduce emissions through clean energy.
- Financial constraints limit further expansion despite strong investor interest and a growing demand from corporate clients for sustainable travel options.
Radisson has launched two newly certified net-zero hotels—one in Manchester, UK, and the other in Oslo, Norway. The hotel’s water and central heating systems run entirely on heat pumps that eschew fossil fuels in Manchester. In Oslo, the property draws on renewable electricity and the city’s district heating network, which stands among Europe’s few systems powered solely by renewables.
Radisson assessed both hotels against the Net Zero Methodology for Hotels to minimise emissions across every operational facet, from restaurant menus to supplier partnerships.
The company will label each dish’s carbon footprint on its menus and include ‘net-zero’ in the official names of its booking categories: Radisson Hotel Manchester City Centre, A Verified Net Zero Hotel, and Radisson Red Oslo City Centre, A Verified Net Zero Hotel.
Chief Sustainability and Security Officer Huijbrechts said each property substantially reduced its carbon footprint by rethinking food sourcing and partnering with vendors committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Both hotels replaced single-use bathroom amenities and paper laundry slips with larger-format, recyclable containers and plastic-free guest rooms.
The Manchester site converted food-waste measurements into carbon-emission data, enabling chefs to refine dishes and menus rated from A (lowest emissions) to E (highest).
Huijbrechts noted that food contributes approximately 59 per cent of Radisson’s scope three emissions, driven mainly by meat production and transportation. Plant-based dishes dominate the A-rated options, while a beef steak is an E-rated item.
“We reduce where we can and remove what we can’t,” said Huijbrechts, explaining how nature-based carbon credits offset the remaining 40 per cent of Manchester’s footprint after a 60 per cent reduction through conversion measures.
Radisson invested over €1 million in electrifying the Manchester hotel alone to demonstrate the business case for net-zero conversions and attract corporate clients increasingly tracking staff travel emissions.
A recent World Business Council for Sustainable Development report found that 91 per cent of business leaders view net zero as an investment opportunity. Still, only 1% believe the transition is on track, and many call for stronger government backing.
Huijbrechts emphasised that financing remains the principal barrier to scaling the net-zero model, particularly in emerging markets where access to capital for decarbonisation is scarce.
Under EU regulations, Radisson and its peers must bring all European buildings to net zero by 2050. “We’ve got a lot of buildings to convert, but not that much time,” Huijbrechts said, underscoring the urgency of securing funds for future projects.