Green hotel

A government-backed clean energy finance company has announced a $39 million investment into a hotel project in Southbank.

The Clean Energy Finance Corp (CEFC) is pushing the Holiday Inn Express at City Rd to achieve a 5-star energy rating.

The 22-storey Pro-invest Group development is currently under construction and is expected to be operational by the end of 2019.

CEFC chief executive Ian Learmonth said the latest clean energy technologies would be included from the construction stage.

“These design changes will result in a 25 per cent drop in the hotel’s energy use, delivering a substantial energy saving that will provide ongoing benefits for the hotel, carbon-conscious guests and for the environment,” Mr Learmonth said.

Southbank’s Holiday Inn Express will join those already operating in Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane.

Pro-invest Group CEO Ronald Barrott said initiatives would include high performance glazing, high efficiency air-cooled chillers and condensing boilers and solar photovoltaic systems.