There are no starchitects, Michelin-rated chefs or 'world’s tallest' towers involved, and yet new Shanghai boutique hotel Urbn has found itself beamed into the international spotlight. It’s not so much what it offers that has piqued the media’s attention, but what has been spared – namely, a big, dirty carbon footprint. With China recently overtaking the United States as the world’s worst CO2 polluter, the country’s first carbon-neutral hotel is seen as an important step toward a more sustainable future for the burgeoning superpower.

'We view earth-conscious building and greener operations as the wave of the future for all hotels, and hopefully businesses,' says first-time hotelier Scott Barrack, an American-born property developer who also runs a Shanghai real estate business specialising in luxury French Concession homes. Barrack and his business partner Jules Kwan worked with Alex Wyatt, the Shanghai-based CEO of international consultancy Climate Bridge, on procedures to reduce and offset CO2 emissions in order to create a new, earth-conscious hotel concept. 'Carbon credits are still relatively unheard of in Asia,' says Barrack. 'We think this is a unique opportunity for Chinese business to put a foot in the water in terms of greenifying business practices.'

Urbn has transformed a 1970s post office behind Jingan Temple, a short walk from the main drag of Nanjing Xi Lu. Green building initiatives focused on renovating an existing structure using locally sourced materials and simple eco-friendly solutions, such as double pane windows, an energy efficient water-based air-conditioning system with heat recovery ventilators, and passive solar shading in the form of louvers and vines across the façade. 'The hardest part was simply getting access to a good selection of green building products – as you can imagine, it’s not a commercially popular theme in China,' says Barrack. To reduce its carbon footprint to zero, the hotel has committed to buying carbon credits to offset the total energy it consumes (including staff commutes, food and beverage delivery and energy used by guests). Credits are independently verified by global NGOs, and go towards wind farms, hydro-electricity stations and other clean energy projects around China.

Despite its eco credentials, Urbn is hardly a rustic retreat. Treacle-coloured Chinese hardwood reclaimed from old Shanghai houses is a dominant feature, along with slate from neighboring Suzhou, and corridors of traditional grey bricks, recalling the residential longtang laneways that define the nearby French Concession. These natural, re-used materials create a warm, lived-in feel, and an elemental sense of place, jazzed up with striking contemporary lines and designer flourishes, like the stack of 52 battered suitcases behind the check-in desk that were sourced from a nearby antique market.

Locally based Canadian architects A00 Architecture have worked within the original structure to create 26 unique guestrooms. The simple, mod-Asian styled rooms are somewhat daring in their design, shifting the traditional focus away from the bed and instead creating more space for socialising and relaxation. Futon beds therefore step down to sunken lounges, while seating and workbenches double as steps and walkways. Energy-saving lanterns and pressed cardboard stools with comfy knee rests were custom-designed for the hotel by Brazilian interior designer Tais Cabral, and two penthouse suites have the run of an expansive rooftop garden.

'Urbn is not about luxury status, it’s about a truly different experience in design and services,' says Barrack, referring to the range of 'Shanghai chic' offerings that guests can enjoy, from acupuncture and tai chi to bicycle tours and Mandarin lessons. There is no gym, but guests have access to One Wellness boutique yoga centre down the road, which offers trendy Kinesis equipment (a first for the Chinese mainland). Meanwhile, the property’s restaurant Roomtwentyeight, independently managed by local cafe chain Wagas, is emerging as a destination in its own right. The elegant restaurant and lounge strung with a multitude of clay lamps, sits just off the lobby overlooking a pebble-strewn courtyard. Ben Fitten, formerly of Sydney’s Macleay Street Bistro, helms an open kitchen that turns out a breezy Sydney-style menu, like braised lamb shank gremolata, and pork sausage with roast garlic mashed potatoes.

Barrack and Kwan plan to grow their Urbn concept of environmentally sound hotels that connect with their destination, with a staggering 20 new developments in three years, beginning with Beijing, Hangzhou, Dalian and Suzhou. The race to save the planet is on, but we hope that the Urbn team continues to take time to polish their service standards and push the green envelope – to ensure this promising new player becomes truly as worthy as its intentions.