A new bar is pioneering health & sustainability for F&B by becoming what is likely the world’s first total carbon-neutral bar. DENTREE, by Rémy Cointreau, is a high-end bar located at the heart of Shanghai. The word DENTREE comes from the concept of the ‘den tree’ — a large tree that serves as an oasis hidden for the local birds and mammals to nest in. In the depths of Shanghai, the bustling city, DENTREE is where all people and nature come to rest, connect, and grow together.
As one of the world’s leading spirits companies, Rémy Cointreau has been actively fostering the growth of sustainability practices within its culture over the past decade, especially in terms of carbon footprint, where they are targeting global carbon neutrality. Beyond a bar, DENTREE is a reflection of Rémy Cointreau's ‘Terroir, People and Time’ core sustainability philosophy. DENTREE is a measurable step forward and Rémy Cointreau is very excited to share this achievement.
“Going forward, Rémy Cointreau will use DENTREE as a platform to launch more diverse sustainability initiatives together with like-minded partners as we strive to realize a brighter, more sustainable future.”
- Sophie Phe, Chief Executive Officer of Rémy Cointreau China
“Rooted in the local culture, passionate about sustainability, and committed to the high-end standards, DENTREE will bring new value to the F&B industry and the local community.”
- Jerome Canovas, Brand Director of Liqueurs & Spirits Division China at Rémy Cointreau and head of the DENTREE project
From left to right: Mr. Bastien Ciocca, Co-founder of Spirits Architects, F&B consultancy by the Hope Group, Mr. Andrew Ho, Co-founder of Spirits Architects, F&B consultancy by the Hope Group, Ms. Sophie Phe, Chief Executive Officer of Rémy Cointreau China, Mr. Jerome Canovas, Brand Director of Liqueurs & Spirits Division China at Rémy Cointreau and head of the DENTREE project, Mr. Mark Klingspon, Managing Director and Partner of Muse Group, Mr. Conrad van der Heever, Executive Chef of DENTREE
RESET was used to measure, audit, and certify the performance of the DENTREE in construction and operation, resulting in the following highlights:
29% reduction in carbon emissions from construction (as benchmarked against comparable RESET Certified Projects)
6.5% of the bar comes from renewable sources (13.0 times better than average)
39.2% of the bar can feasibly be recycled and composted (7.8 times better than average)
22.9% total circularity (8.3 times better than average)
100% Embodied carbon neutral - carbon emissions from construction offset via National CCER (Certified Emission Reduction) credits.
100% of energy consumption is monitored in real-time, in order to measure, reduce, and offset carbon emissions from operations, targeting operational carbon neutrality.
As one of the most discussed topics in 2022, carbon neutrality is defined as balancing carbon emissions with equivalent carbon reductions. Embodied carbon neutrality calculations for interior construction included all interior finish materials and substrates, as well as furniture and furnishings used during the construction and fit-out of the space.
DENTREE started its journey by collecting carbon, circularity and health data for the materials being selected in order to define a baseline for the design team to benchmark against. With the baseline data in hand, the design and construction team were able to explore where and how to improve their score by sourcing healthy materials and furniture with lower embodied carbon and higher circularity.
Image above: The entrance of DENTREE showcases the archive room of ingredients
Image above: DENTREE is designed to cater to different occasions for guests to experience the food, drinks, cocktails, and spirit
Once completed, the final project results were calculated and audited using the RESET Embodied Standard for Circularity, Carbon, and Health, establishing a total embodied metric for DENTREE.
With empirical data and RESET Embodied certification and report in hand, DENTREE was able to pursue carbon neutrality by way of National CCER (Certified Emission Reduction) offsets.
Image above: Recognition certificates of DENTREE from RESET
With embodied carbon taken care of, Rémy Cointreau has their sights set on total carbon by targeting carbon neutrality for operations as per the RESET Energy Standard.
To achieve this, all energy consumption is tracked in continuous time by BEE Sense, a RESET Accredited Data Provider. The energy data is then converted into equivalent carbon emissions based on the source of electricity. The operational data is being used by Rémy Cointreau to adjust operations for efficiency, define their baseline and measure consumption. Total equivalent emissions will be offset on an annual basis.
Image above: DENTREE’s vibrant rooftop garden supports the bar’s efforts towards self-sufficiency and sustainability with homegrown plants and composting facilities
The RESET Standard was launched in 2013 as the world’s first performance-driven building standard and certification program, focusing on measurable results. It provides a holistic measure of the construction and operational impacts of real estate.
By achieving certification, DENTREE serves as an example of what is possible for the whole industry: making sustainability more accessible to guests, employees and the community.
Image above: DENTREE will grow into a sustainability platform that connects people, nature, and society
Having already achieved embodied carbon neutrality, we look forward to DENTREE’s achievement of total carbon neutrality after their first year of operation.
The RESET Standard requires projects to highlight one or more of the key products used within projects, celebrating the manufacturers that are focused on sustainability and helping future project teams make better product selections. Below is one of the key materials featured in the DENTREE.
Project Typology: Interiors, New Construction
Size: 170 m2
Grand Opening: Feb 2023
Location: Shanghai, China.
RESET Embodied Accredited Professional: Fan Fan (Carbon, Circularity, Health)
RESET Operational Accredited Professional: Alessandro Bisagni
Auditor: Chen Jing, Zhou Lingling
All around the world, there are clients seeking exceptional experiences; clients for whom a wide range of terroirs means a variety of flavors. Their exacting standards are proportional to our expertise – the finely-honed skills that we pass down from generation to generation. The time these clients devote to drinking our products is a tribute to all those who have worked to develop them. It is for these men and women that Rémy Cointreau, a family-owned French Group, protects its terroirs, cultivates exceptional multi-centenary spirits and undertakes to preserve their eternal modernity.
With ‘Terroir, People, and Time’ sustainability philosophy, Rémy Cointreau has an ambition: reducing its carbon footprint by 50% per bottle by 2030 and reach Net Zero by 2050 under #APlanetOfException. To this end, it relies on the commitment and creativity of the whole group. Rémy Cointreau is listed on Euronext Paris.