The First Energy-positive Hotel in the Arctic Circle

Svart, the latest creation from inventive architectural firm Snøhetta, is set to become the Arctic Circle’s first energy positive hotel.

Expected to welcome its first guests in 2021, this 360-degree, water-skimming hotel will cut an extraordinary silhouette at the foot of northern Norway’s Almlifjellet mountain.

Perched above the Holandsfjorden on wooden A-frame stilts, Svart evokes the local fisherman-style “rorbue” house, as well as the traditional Norwegian fish-drying structure of the “fiskehjell”. More impressively, in just 60 years, the hotel will produce more energy than it uses. 

Taking its name from the nearby Svartisen glacier, as well as the Norwegian word for “black”, Svart is built for both harsh winter conditions and long summer days with clever heating strategies to keep guests cosy in cooler months and boardwalks (used for kayak storage) for strolls in summer.

It’s this commitment to sustainability and energy conservation that sets this property apart. A number of clever engineering feats converge to boost the structure’s goal of a positive energy output, including solar panels that adorn the circular roof, geothermal wells that gather heating for the colder months and design features that reduce the need for artificial cooling.

These additions mean Svart will not only consume 85 per cent less energy than other hospitality providers but the property will produce more energy than it has used in construction, operation and demolishment – should it come to that – in just six decades. 

But something tells us this hotel has a longer life expectancy than 60. 

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