IHG Hotels & Resorts announces first Low Carbon Pioneer hotel in Asia

Singapore, 15 October 2025 – IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) today announced a milestone in its sustainability journey, with Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay becoming the first IHG hotel in Asia to join IHG’s Low Carbon Pioneer hotel programme. IHG’s Low Carbon Pioneers is a growing global community of IHG properties that are energy efficient, have no fossil fuels combusted on-site* and are backed by renewable energy.

Since its opening in 2014, Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay has been recognised for its sustainability-focused design, which includes a fully electric kitchen, hot water heat pumps, high-efficiency water fixtures, and an intelligent building management system that optimises energy usage without compromising guest comfort. It also features solar glazing and advanced lighting controls, ensuring efficient use of daylight and electricity throughout the day.

The hotel has been accredited with GSTC certification, a global standard for sustainability in travel and tourism, further demonstrating its commitment to sustainable tourism practices. Recently, the hotel celebrated winning the 2025 Singapore Hotel Sustainability Award, presented by the Singapore Hotel Association (SHA) and achieved a Water Efficient Building Certification from PUB in recognition of its continued sustainability efforts.

Businesses, trade bodies and governments are working together to drive lasting change. In Singapore, the Singapore Hotel Association and the Singapore Tourism Board have launched the Hotel Sustainability Roadmap, in support of Singapore’s Green Plan 2030. This initiative targets 60% of hotels to achieve internationally recognised sustainability certification by 2025 and aims for the industry to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

IHG is taking active steps to make a positive difference and support a wider change throughout the hospitality industry. In addition to Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay joining IHG’s Low Carbon Pioneers programme, the company has also announced that Hotel Indigo Changi Airport, which will open in 2028, aims to attain a “zero-energy”** certification level under the Green Mark Scheme of the Singapore Building and Construction Authority (BCA).*

Kishin RK, Founder and CEO of RB Capital Group said: “It is wonderful to see Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay becoming the first IHG hotel in Asia to join IHG’s Low Carbon Pioneer programme. We are committed to supporting Singapore’s sustainability roadmap and reducing the carbon footprint of our hotels, which also includes InterContinental Singapore Robertson Quay and Holiday Inn Singapore Little India.

“Future-proofing our assets is incredibly important, and adopting carbon reduction practices is a present-day business imperative. Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay shows how performance and responsibility can go hand in hand.”

Vivek Bhalla, Managing Director, South East Asia & Korea, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “The inclusion of Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay as the first hotel in Asia to join IHG’s Low Carbon Pioneer programme marks an exciting milestone in IHG’s Journey to Tomorrow responsible business plan. We’ve worked closely with RB Capital for a long time, and we are aligned in our ambition to tackle climate change and manage the environmental impact of our hotels.

“I’m delighted to see these efforts recognised, with Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay joining the Low Carbon Pioneers programme. We are committed to working closely with government and industry partners to accelerate sustainability efforts at scale, and hope this inspires many more hotels in the region to follow suit.”

IHG’s Low Carbon Pioneers programme aligns with its global ambition to reduce carbon emissions across its portfolio, as outlined in its Journey to Tomorrow responsible business plan. The programme is designed to bring together low operational carbon hotels to help test, learn and share findings on sustainability measures and become flagships for sustainable hospitality. As well as celebrating low carbon hotels, it also supports hotel owners in future-proofing their businesses — offering benefits such as eligibility for green financing, stronger regulatory alignment, and increased guest and corporate client preference for sustainable stays.

• Find out more about the carbon reduction practices at each hotel here.
• The full criteria for a Low Carbon Pioneer hotel is available here.

_{*Except for backup generators that fall below 5% of the hotel’s total annual energy consumption.}

_{** Zero energy certification under the Green Mark Scheme is only applicable in Singapore.}