Europe's First Net Zero Carbon Hotel
When Zeal Hotels set out to launch a new sustainable hotel brand at Exeter Science Park, they partnered with Westworks Interiors for their design expertise. With sustainability guiding every decision, Westworks specified a range of Forbo Flooring Systems’ products, including the Climate Positive (carbon negative) Marmoleum Cocoa Decibel.
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The Hotel
Conveniently situated at the entrance of Exeter Science Park, the South West’s centre of activity for businesses in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM), voco Zeal Exeter Science Park is a premium, 142 bedroom, 4-star hotel that offers an exceptional stay for the environmentally conscious traveller. In alignment with 2050 sustainability targets, the hotel leverages cutting-edge solar panel technology, ensuring it generates more electricity than it consumes. As well as meeting net zero principles, it’s the hope of Zeal Hotels that this site forms a blueprint for the leisure and hospitality industry for how sustainable hotels can be achieved.
Ruth Wainwright, Director and Interior Designer at Westworks Interiors was involved on the hotel’s interior design scheme. Speaking about the project, she said: “This hotel has been the brainchild of the Zeal Hotels team for a while now. Both Zeal Hotels and their partner brand IHG Hotels & Resorts set a requirement to achieve net zero with this hotel. Working with architects ECE Westworks, we collaborated from the outset to execute this vision".
How Forbo Helped
With 43% combined recycled content, including post-consumer flooring, production waste, wood flour and cocoa husks, Marmoleum Cocoa is a genuinely sustainable flooring solution. Climate Positive (carbon negative), it removes 0.125kg of CO₂ per square metre installed. Specified in the Decibel format, it also delivers 18dB impact sound reduction, making it ideal for hotel environments where acoustic comfort is key.
Reflecting on the specification, the team noted: “Having worked with Forbo on previous projects, we were confident in its forward-thinking approach and product portfolio. We wanted solutions that combined strong sustainability credentials with a compelling story, and Marmoleum Cocoa Decibel achieved this by blending circularity, design and the use of recycled cocoa husks.”
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Where Sustainable Materials Meet Practical Design
The flooring specification was carefully aligned with Westworks Interiors’ design brief. Marmoleum Cocoa in the Nori colourway was chosen for guest bedroom entrance areas, offering a soft, neutral green-grey tone that complemented the hotel’s warm, inviting palette. Its subtle cocoa husk flecks added visual interest while enhancing durability and dirt-hiding performance. Elsewhere, Forbo’s Allura Flex LVT in Grigio Concrete and Sand Cement provided a robust, slip-resistant solution for ground-floor guest bathrooms, combining practical performance with recycled content and manufacture using 100% renewable electricity.
Across back-of-house areas, Forbo’s Safestep safety vinyl was installed to support staff safety, while Nuway Tuftiguard Bamboo was specified at the entrance to reduce walked-in dirt. Made from fast-growing bamboo, the product delivered high-performance protection with improved sustainability credentials. Opened in March 2025, the hotel has been praised by guests and owners alike, with Zeal Hotels highlighting the project as a clear reflection of its commitment to net zero, environmental responsibility, and long-term sustainable design.
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Westwork Interiors’ work on the project saw the team win Sustainable Project of the Year at the 2025 Forbo Awards. Ruth commented: “When I found out we’d won, I was thrilled! Most of the projects we design are years in the making, and so to be recognised for such hard work and dedication on this particular project was incredibly rewarding. It’s been such a pleasure working with the whole design team on voco Zeal Exeter Science Park and this award is a fantastic way to celebrate that hard work.”