Svart, located close to the Svartisen glacier, north of the Arctic Circle, in the Meløy municipality of Norway is set to open in 2022, and when it does, the aim is to produce more energy than it uses.

 

The design, masterminded by Norwegian architect firm Snøhetta and drawing inspiration from the local coastal building traditions, is low-impact, the construction based on local materials wherever possible and the entire project has been subject to rigid sustainability criteria.

 

Thanks to its clever design, built to ensure the highest energy efficiency standards in the northern hemisphere, will save the hotel 85% of its annual energy consumption. It’s also set to harvest enough solar energy to cover both the hotel operations, and the energy needed to construct the building.

 

But the ambition is to go further. By being fully sustainable in this way, it will be off-grid and carbon-neutral – and will produce zero waste within five years. This means that the hotel including its adjacent services, including the farm and the boat shuttles, will be completely self-sufficient in terms of electricity and waste management.