The first net-zero energy hotel is currently under construction in Delavan, Wisconsin, US and is set to open next year.

The Green Leaf Inn will be a luxury green retreat and demonstration model and will act as a living laboratory for new technology, products and providers.

The project will include the remodelling of an existing cottage with three suites and dining areas as well as the construction of a new building with 16 additional suites, welcome centre, conference room and massage suites.

The first phase is now complete and included the installation of sustainable systems such as an on-site aerobic wastewater treatment, an 18,000 gallon rainwater storage tank, a 153 ft Endurance 50kw wind turbine and a cogeneration system generating hot water and electricity.

Solar thermal hot water systems and solar electric systems will also be installed and all of the energy systems will be online for consumers and businesses to learn from.

Phase two which will be completed shortly involves the interior design of the cottage including radiant floor heating and an air lock entrance way.

The final phase will involve showcasing 16 different counters, floors, paint and fixtures offering guests the ability to experience a variety of green products and applications.

The Inn is owned by Catherine McQueen and Fritz Kreiss who have been in the energy industry for more than 17 years. Through their work, the couple became heavily involved with the green energy movement over the last few years.

The hospitality industry, however, is a whole new experience for the couple. According to Kreiss they had toyed with the idea of running a B&B but only decided to live out their dream when a member of the planning commission told them that a piece of land they owned adjacent to Route 50 on Lake Geneva would be made "commercial only".

Kreiss said: “That wasn’t great news since we had been killing ourselves on rehabbing and gardening our five acre site and we knew that if we'd try to sell it we would not get full residential value for the home in an all-commercial area.”

The couple then decided to enlist the land as commercial property and began turning the plot and house into a sustainable Inn.

McQueen said: “Sometimes, life points you in a direction and says, it’s time to put your values into action. The Green Leaf Inn is the direction where our lives pointed us.

“We always worked in the energy industry, combining an emphasis on wise use of resources with promotion of green technologies. We are committed to the ideals of the green lifestyle.”