URBN Hotels Shanghai will be China’s first carbon-neutral hotel. The philosophy of environmental protection runs through the whole project. The designers focused on using recycled and locally-sourced materials such as reclaimed hardwoods and old Shanghai bricks, and introduced eco-friendly solutions such as passive solar shades and a water-based AC system. In addition, the total amount of energy the hotel consumes will be tracked to calculate its carbon footprint. URBN will then purchase credits to neutralize its carbon footprint by investing in a green energy development and emission reduction project in China.