IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) marks a milestone in its sustainability journey as Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay becomes the first IHG hotel in Asia to join the company’s Low Carbon Pioneer programme.
The initiative is a global network of energy-efficient properties that operate without on-site fossil fuel combustion and are supported by renewable energy.
Since opening in 2014, Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay has been recognised for its sustainability-focused design. Features include a fully electric kitchen, hot water heat pumps, high-efficiency water fixtures, solar glazing, advanced lighting controls, and an intelligent building management system that optimises energy usage without affecting guest comfort.
The hotel has received GSTC certification, a global standard for sustainability in travel and tourism. It was awarded the 2025 Singapore Hotel Sustainability Award by the Singapore Hotel Association (SHA) and achieved a Water Efficient Building Certification from PUB.
Singapore’s hospitality industry has introduced initiatives such as the Hotel Sustainability Roadmap, supported by the SHA and Singapore Tourism Board under the Green Plan 2030, targeting 60 per cent of hotels to achieve recognised sustainability certification by 2025 and aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050.
IHG is extending its sustainability efforts across the region. In addition to Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay joining the Low Carbon Pioneers programme, the upcoming Hotel Indigo Changi Airport, opening in 2028, aims to achieve “zero-energy” certification under the Green Mark Scheme of the Singapore Building and Construction Authority.
IHG’s Low Carbon Pioneers programme is part of the company’s global effort to reduce carbon emissions across its portfolio. The initiative brings together low-carbon hotels to test and share sustainability measures while providing benefits such as eligibility for green financing, regulatory alignment, and increased preference from guests and corporate clients for sustainable stays.
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. 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, added: “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.”
