Denver’s Populus hotel, developed by Urban Villages, a leading real estate developer and environmental steward, and managed by Aparium Hotel Group, is staking its claim as one of the greenest hotels on the planet. A recent press release described it as the first carbon positive hotel in the United States. The hotel’s embodied carbon footprint has been reduced through a combination of sustainable design and construction techniques—including the use of low-carbon concrete, an insulated façade system and GFRC rainscreen, and intentionally not having onsite parking—then offset by the acquisition of 7,000 tons of certified carbon credits as a part of its evolving, nature-based sustainability strategy.
Populus has worked with partner organizations, Grassroots Carbon, OneTreePlanted, and Terrapass, to acquire a balanced mix of high integrity, certified forest and soil carbon credits from U.S.-based projects whose core impacts include protecting habitat and watersheds, promoting soil and forest health, drought tolerance, resiliency, and biodiversity across a variety of coastal and inland ecosystems.
In addition, Populus is further offsetting its carbon footprint through a hands-on tree planting and reforestation effort in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies. The first of these efforts included planting over 70,000 trees (172+ acres) in Gunnison County, Colo. in summer 2022 in partnership with One Tree Planted vis-a-vis the United States Forest Service; the planting was a part of a reforestation following beetle kill, a nature disturbance in forests.
Tree Planting Program
Populus remains committed to offsetting its operational carbon footprint throughout its lifetime and its approach encompasses much more than carbon offsets, including collaborating with local farms to promote regenerative practices, using 100 percent renewable electricity, turning all food waste into compost to be returned to local farmers, and embodying an overall reverence for nature that connects guests to the natural world. For every night’s stay, the hotel plants a tree in partnership with the National Forest Foundation. Populus’ goal is to contribute up to 20,000 new trees in 2024. Populus’ trees are planted in two Colorado regions and are regularly monitored by the USDA Forest Service to ensure the forests will grow and remain protected for future generations.
The hotel has an iconic Aspen tree-inspired design by AD100 architecture firm, Studio Gang. Studio Gang’s design for Populus draws from the growth processes of Colorado’s native aspen tree—Populus Tremuloides—an instantly recognizable symbol of the state, which Jeanne Gang studied while hiking in Colorado. Studio Gang’s first building in Colorado, Populus seamlessly integrates nature into downtown Denver—forever changing the city skyline and adding to the architectural diversity of the entire Mountain West.
Designed to be as functional as it is striking, the texture and rhythm of Populus’ façade perform efficiently in Denver’s varied climate, with “lids” over each window extending slightly outward to shade the interior of the building. On the interiors, the Aspen-eye windows change in size and shape to reflect the public or private nature of various spaces. At the base, the windows rise up to 30 feet to frame entrances and views into the lobby and Pasque restaurant.
Populus prioritizes zero-waste dining in its restaurants, using an onsite biodigester from BioGreen360 to divert 100 percent of food waste away from landfills and into compost for local farms—taking the food from table to farm and establishing a circular solution for food waste. In partnership with Zero Foodprint and Wolfe’s Neck Center, the restaurants will further support regenerative farming practices that sequester carbon and improve the food system. In fact, as a Zero Foodprint member, Populus is committing one percent of its restaurant sales to regenerative farming, which is then matched by Wolfe’s Neck, through its USDA Partnership for Climate Smart Commodities, immediately doubling environmental and community impact.
No Plastic Water Bottles
Populus features LED lighting, smart thermostats, and provides guests with reusable water bottles in each guestroom. Guests can fill up the bottles at one of the hotel’s water stations.
Not only is Populus inspired by nature, but it brings a diverse variety of trees and local vegetation to the heart of downtown Denver through its onsite roof garden and streetscape—both designed by Denver-based landscape architecture firm, Superbloom. The green roof is a four-season garden filled with lush, perennial trees, shrubs, and plant species that support biodiversity while the canopy of trees surrounding the hotel provides a cooling effect in the harsh sun.
All interiors, from the materials to the furniture and art, are designed to evoke the essence of the natural world while minimizing the building’s carbon footprint through innovative, consciously sourced materials. For example, the wood slats in the lobby ceiling are sourced from reclaimed wood snow fencing in Wyoming, the guestroom carpeting is made from recycled materials that biodegrade in landfills, and many guestroom headboards are created from fallen beetle-kill pine.
“The opening of Populus marks an incredibly significant milestone and represents a new model of environmentally conscious hospitality that will forever change the guest experience for mindful travelers, while adding vibrancy to the city of Denver,” said Jon Buerge, President of Urban Villages. “We are excited to watch Populus come to life as the center of a thriving community, becoming everything from the new neighborhood hotspot to a must visit hotel destination, all while inspiring the industry to rethink how hotels can prioritize the health of the planet in a positive, engaging, and meaningful way.”
“We are incredibly proud to introduce Populus—a place where the best of design, sustainability, culinary, service and community converge under one stylish roof,” said Mario Tricoci, Founder and CEO of Aparium. “This new property beautifully embodies Aparium’s commitment to creating hotels that honor their unique destinations, while setting an unprecedented new standard for innovation and hospitality across the country. Populus is not just a destination; it’s a reflection of Denver’s vibrant energy, a way for travelers to connect more deeply and more authentically with nature, and a symbol of what the future of travel can and should look like.”
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