An £20m eco-friendly hotel has opened at the University of Nottingham, adjacent to the campus’s conference centre and landscaped gardens.

The Orchard, funded entirely by the university, includes 220 bedrooms, meeting rooms, bar and gym, with eco-friendly features including a green roof, photovoltaic panels, ground source heat pumps and energy efficient lighting, heating and ventilation systems.

Nottingham’s pro-vice chancellor for environment and infrastructure Professor Karen Cox said the hotel is the latest in a series by the university committed to sustainable architecture and construction.

Completed by BAM Construction the 9,300 sq m (100,000 sq ft) it is on track to receive a BREEAM excellent rating, which recognises buildings that incorporate best environmental practice.

Corrie Jones of RHWL Architects said features of the hotel such as its undulating timber canopy and regional stone and timber interiors and exteriors were intended to reflect the surrounding environment and nearby hillside.

“Our main aim was to provide a sensitive response, situating the hotel within the surrounding sloping grassland and minimising its impact both physically and environmentally, while still creating a striking building with a strong and defined entrance appropriate to a high profile leisure destination.”