room2 is pioneering a new era in sustainable hospitality with its innovative "hometel" concept, seamlessly blending the comforts of home with the amenities of a hotel. Leading this initiative is room2 Chiswick, recognized as the world's first whole life net zero hotel. This distinction means that the property has meticulously balanced all carbon emissions associated with its construction, operation, and eventual deconstruction, ensuring a net zero carbon footprint throughout its entire lifecycle.
Photo: room2 Chiswick
The Lamington Group, developer of the award-winning sustainable hometel brand room2, has appointed Josh Renouf as its first Circular Design Manager—a bold step forward in its mission to pioneer zero-waste-to-landfill practices and circular economy innovation within hospitality.
Renouf, widely recognised for inventing The Barisieur—the viral coffee-brewing alarm clock—and founding the sustainable lifestyle brand Joy Resolve, brings a strong background in environmentally driven design. His portfolio includes everything from multi-functional homeware built for longevity to furniture crafted from coffee waste. Now based in West London, Renouf will establish and lead a dedicated circular design studio focused on transforming operational waste from Lamington’s properties into high-quality, functional products.
Working closely with room2 locations in Chiswick, Southampton, and Belfast, the initiative will repurpose materials such as plastics, textiles, food waste, and construction offcuts—giving them new life within the guest experience and setting a new benchmark for sustainable design in hospitality. We caught up with Josh, to discuss his role and his journey with the fabulous room2.
"It's all about seeing 'waste' not as something to get rid of but as a treasure trove of possibilities." - Josh Renouf
1. Josh, your background in sustainable product innovation is impressive, especially with projects like The Barisieur and Joy Resolve. What inspired you to transition into the hospitality sector and take on the challenge of circular design at Lamington Group?
Wow, thanks for noticing! My journey with sustainable product innovation, especially with The Barisieur and Joy Resolve, was incredible. The Barisieur, a quirky coffee/tea brewing alarm clock, was inspired by science and vinyl players – think Wallace and Gromit meets your morning brew! We built a range of coffee and tea products, featured in stores like Harrods, Selfridges and Nordstrom. I’ve always been passionate about sustainability and at Joy Resolve, I began to experiment with repurposing coffee waste with intentions to create something of value. I spent eighteen months developing a coffee table using a combination of recycled plastic and coffee grounds, which was ultimately shortlisted for the Soho House Design Awards. That experience truly ignited a deeper passion for sustainability.
After wrapping up my time at Joy Resolve, a conversation with Robert Godwin, Lamington Groups’ CEO, proved pivotal. We were both energised by the idea of circularity, and shared the belief that there’s immense potential in transforming waste into high-end, desirable materials. His ambition was to build entirely circular hotels under the room2 brand. It was a moment of perfect alignment. I genuinely believe there's a huge opportunity to turn waste into luxury products, as well as engage guests and our wider community in a new, more responsible way of thinking.
Photo: Josh Renouf
2. Lamington Group’s room2 brand has made a significant commitment to zero-waste-to-landfill. How do you envision your new role as Circular Design Manager contributing to this mission, and what excites you most about this opportunity?
For me, the commitment to zero-waste-to-landfill is a mindset that has to be embedded into every decision we make. As Circular Design Manager, I see a real opportunity to rethink how we plan for maintenance, reuse and end-of-life. What excites me most is the chance to move beyond theory and actually apply circular economy principles at scale in a working hospitality environment. room2 is already leading in this space, and I’m looking forward to pushing those boundaries even further—collaborating with our team, supply chain, and guests to find smarter, more regenerative ways to do things. It’s about continuous improvement and being bold enough to challenge the norm.
3. In your new role, you’ll be leading a circular design studio focused on transforming hotel waste into functional products. Could you walk us through some of the initial ideas or projects you're most excited about exploring?
I'm bursting with ideas! One thing I’m particularly excited about is diving into the world of 3D printing using hotel waste. Imagine discarded glass or packaging ground down on-site to make stylish and functional furniture or even unique decorative elements. Guests will be able to see their 'waste' get a whole new life. In on-site workshops, we could turn glass bottles into vases or tumblers, or coffee and eggshell waste into small pots.
Photo: room2 Chiswick
4. The concept of circular economy is gaining traction across various industries. How do you plan to make sustainability both engaging and financially viable within the hospitality space? What challenges do you anticipate in achieving this?
The circular economy isn't just a nice-to-have sustainability thing for us – we see it as something that can be woven into how we do business. The ultimate dream? Our hotels are closed-loop ecosystems. We believe sustainability is a huge part of the guest experience. It builds loyalty, keeps people coming back, and honestly, it gets our team motivated and inspired, too.To make it engaging, it's all about telling the story, bringing our guests and partners along for the ride, and showing them how their stay or the products they interact with contribute to something bigger.
People want to feel like they're part of something meaningful. The challenges? Well, there are a few! Scaling up these innovative processes can be tricky. Sourcing consistent, high-quality waste streams and developing the right technologies and partnerships will be key. Also, educating guests and sometimes even our own teams about the value and impact of circular design will take time and effort. And let's be real, sometimes the upfront investment in circular solutions can seem initially high, so demonstrating the long-term financial and environmental benefits is crucial.
Photo: Josh Renouf
5. Lamington Group has already implemented innovative solutions like creating coasters from bottle caps and welcome tables from broken shampoo bottles. How do you see these early projects influencing broader industry practices? And what future innovations do you envision for the room2 hometel brand?
Those early projects are proof of concept. Turning bottle caps into coasters or shampoo bottles into welcome tables might seem small, but they spark curiosity and start a conversation. That’s where change begins. What’s powerful is that we’re not waiting for someone else to figure it out. We’re testing, learning, and scaling circular ideas within a real, operational environment. When other players in the industry see that it works, we believe it will create momentum. Looking ahead, I see us leading the charge in creating truly regenerative hotel spaces where every element has a positive impact, from the materials we use to the energy we consume and the waste we eliminate. We want to build spaces that evolve, adapt, and inspire the hospitality industry to think the same way.
Instagram: room2hometels
6. Looking ahead, Lamington Group plans to create a public-facing circular design studio. How do you hope to engage both guests and industry peers with this initiative, and what role do you think collaboration will play in advancing sustainability within the hospitality sector?
The circular design studio is a brilliant opportunity to pull back the curtain and show the process behind the product. It’s a chance to show how materials, design, and decisions come together with circularity in mind. I want it to be an open, hands-on space where guests and industry peers can engage directly with the ideas and innovations we’re working on.
The aim is to create meaningful interactions, whether that’s a guest learning how something in their room was made or a supplier testing a new material with us. It should spark conversation, challenge assumptions, and invite people into the journey. Collaboration will play a huge role. Moving the dial on sustainability in hospitality requires input from across the board - designers, manufacturers, operators, and customers. The studio is a platform to bring these voices together, test solutions, and share what we learn in real-time. That’s how we hope to drive real progress.
Photo: room2 Chiswick
We’re grateful to Josh Renouf for sharing his time and vision with us. His appointment marks an exciting chapter for room2 and the Lamington Group as they continue to challenge conventional hospitality with innovation rooted in sustainability and circular design. As the world’s first whole life net zero hotel brand, room2 is not only redefining what it means to stay responsibly—but proving that luxury and environmental integrity can go hand in hand. Look out for Josh's interview and more about room2 in our next magazine issue!
With thanks to Grifco PR