Radisson Blu Hotel, East Midlands Airport

150 150 Daniel Fountain
  • 0

Bowmer & Kirkland has just completed a project for the Manchester Airport Group Plc to create one of the UK’s greenest commercial hotel developments.Project value: £14.9m
Client: Manchester Airport Group Plc
Location: East Midlands Airport, Nottingham

Objectives
To deliver one of the UK’s greenest commercial hotel developments – in line with East Midland Airport’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2012. The hotel features 218 bedrooms, full conference and meeting facilities, a swimming pool and health club.

Additional features
In line with East Midlands Airport’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2012, the hotel utilises a range of low energy technologies to reduce the energy demand of the building; supplemented by an on-site Combined Heat and Power (CHP) engine with a Pure Plant Oil (PPO) Tri-Generation Energy Centre, to export electricity to the national grid outside of normal occupancy hours. This innovative system collects and stores waste heat in a thermal store to heat and cool the whole hotel, delivering an 87% reduction in CO2 and supplying 90% of the consumed energy from a renewable source.

The build also incorporates a number of Sustainable Construction Techniques. A sustainable Surface Water Drainage system with porous paving in the car park; attenuation tanks and a rainwater harvesting system is also integrated into the design of the hotel to serve the WC’s in the building and water the external landscaped areas.

Challenges
A key challenge was the fact that a project requirement was to achieve an excellent environmental rating at an economically viable price point. In addition, one of the coldest winters on record provided challenges at various stages of the build.

Solution
• Fundamental to the successful delivery has been a detailed understanding of all of the cost drivers in hotel construction ensuring value is maximised at every level.
• Using cost consultants and project managers with experience of delivering more than 3,500 rooms across many different hotel brands.

Outcome
The hotel reaffirms Rezidor’s position as one of Europe’s leading airport hotel operators with 27 hotels (7,096 rooms) currently in operation and a further 3 hotels (938 rooms) in the development pipeline.

Daniel Fountain / 23.08.2011

Editor, Hotel Designs

Share

  • 0

Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

Workhighlights: Successfully coordinating events from planning through to delivery and seeing everything come together on the day.

Fun fact: I’m a keen cyclist and will happily bore people with copious amounts of cycling chat. My top cycling experience (so far) would have to be riding in the spectacular mountains of Crete.

Work highlights: Charles joined Forum Events in 2022. With a background in publishing, editorial media and events, Charles brings a wealth of experience to his role as Senior Production Manager. Having being involved with SPACE from the outset, he is excited to see the brand grow and develop.

Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher at SPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.

Together these platforms offer a comprehensive 360-degree service encompassing digital media, print publishing, and live events – providing unparalleled value to advertisers, partners, and readers alike.