Before it has opened, the new flagship Emporium Hotel Southpoint is drawing an acclaimed line in the sand, having just received EarthCheck Design Certification, the first project in the country to achieve such status.

Achieving EarthCheck Design Certification places the new hotel in a unique worldwide group of sustainable buildings that are certified to the internationally recognised EarthCheck Building Planning and Design Standard, with the exclusive EarthCheck science inside.

Sister to the multi-awarded Emporium Hotel in Fortitude Valley – one of the most awarded hotels in the world – Emporium Hotel Southpoint will open in mid 2018, and feature 143 luxuriously appointed suites, Belle Epoque Patisserie, restaurant and Sky Bar, overlooking the spectacular 23m infinity edge pool with views to Brisbane’s CBD and beyond. Located in the same tower as the Hotel are 217 premium residential apartments, with owners enjoying exclusive access to Emporium’s services.

Of achieving the EarthCheck Design Certification, Anthony John Group Managing Director Tony John said it was a very proud moment, and one of many to come as the hotel nears opening.

“This is an achievement we are all incredibly proud of. We created this building from the ground-up with a vision to deliver a hotel and precinct unlike any other in Brisbane, and achieving this design certificate brings with it global recognition, credibility, best practice performance markers, cost reductions and clever building benefits. We are very excited, and with our builder, Hutchinson Builders, we thank everyone who has been part of the journey so far,” he said.

“Like its sister at Fortitude Valley, we expect Emporium Hotel Southpoint to create new pathways for tourism and service when we open next year.”

“The needs, wants, priorities and expectations of hotel guests – be they business or leisure users – are changing and we need to pre-empt these expectations continually. The EarthCheck Design Certification is definitely one of those pathways, and to have achieved it prior to checking in even one guest, is an absolute coup.”

Stewart Moore, CEO and Founder of EarthCheck said, “We congratulate the team at Anthony John Group for taking a leadership position by becoming the first EarthCheck Design project in Australia.”

“EarthCheck standards are based on Agenda 21 principles and are structured to help tourism projects become not only great places to visit and work in but also improve the quality of life of local communities – which is exactly what the project has delivered for the South Bank Precinct.”

EarthCheck is the world’s leading scientific benchmarking, certification and advisory group for travel and tourism.

EarthCheck’s performance-driven Design Certification is awarded to projects that demonstrate that match or exceed current industry best practice performance levels. Certification places the Emporium Hotel as a leader in the industry, creating significant efficiency-driven competitive advantages. The EarthCheck Design Certification also demonstrates compliance to best practice planning, design and construction practices in elements such as energy, water, transport, material selection, ecology and social, economic and cultural well-being.

The Emporium Hotel at Fortitude Valley has already achieved Gold Status through EarthCheck. It remains the only hotel in Queensland to achieve this status, and is one of only five in Australia.

James Wilkinson

Editor-In-Chief, Hotel Management