HOMA Phuket Town, the pioneering new co-living concept, has formed an important new partnership with Prince of Songkla University (PSU), southern Thailand’s oldest and largest university, to engage with students about the critical issues of sustainability and community interaction in the hospitality and real estate sectors.
To mark the start of this educational alliance, HOMA Phuket Town welcomed 30 undergraduates from PSU’s Phuket Campus, the International Education Hub for Innovation, Social Engagement & Sustainable Development, for an immersive and insightful full-day session which included an informative workshop, presentation and rooftop lunch. The group was led by Professor Kevin Fuchs, a senior lecturer from PSU’s Faculty of Hospitality & Tourism.
The undergraduates were treated to lunch at HOMA Phuket Town’s rooftop garden
HOMA Phuket Town is an innovative new residential concept that integrates eco-friendly elements throughout the property. Rooftop solar panels, energy-efficient appliances, LED lighting and advanced air conditioning systems will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 325 tonnes each year – the equivalent of planting almost 5,400 new trees or removing more than 70 cars from the road. These initiatives led to the property being awarded the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification, making it the first Thai serviced residence outside Bangkok to achieve this accolade.
Driving HOMA’s environmental efforts is Conor Brannum, the recently-appointed sustainability officer, who is an expert in the advancement of eco solutions in the commercial real estate sector. He welcomed the students to HOMA Phuket Town and presented a workshop on the subject of “Sustainability and Ethics in Real Estate” – part of PSU’s Real Estate & Alternative Lodging module.
Luca Dotti, Founder and Managing Director of HOMA, hosted an insightful workshop and presentation along with HOMA’s Sustainability Officer, Conor Brannum.
“At HOMA, we strive to do things differently. Not only are we fully committed to operating in a highly responsible way and letting our residents embrace a cleaner, greener way of living; we also want to work hand-in-hand with the local community. This partnership with PSU provides the perfect opportunity for us to connect with the next generation of real estate and hospitality professionals, share ideas and advance the sustainability agenda. It was great to meet with the students and hear their ideas; I am confident that our future is in very good hands,” commented Conor.
“I would like to thank HOMA Phuket Town for inviting our students and allowing them to see sustainability in action. Meeting with forward-thinking companies like HOMA is really important, as they bring the theories of environmental design and operations into the real world. Meeting Conor and the team will inspire our undergraduates and give a significant boost to their academic studies,” Professor Fuchs added.
The 505-key HOMA Phuket Town is the first in a series of co-living projects being developed by HOMA, a joint venture between Asia Capital Real Estate (ACRE), the global real estate private equity firm, and NOON Capital, a Thai multi-family housing developer. The group is aiming to invest more than US$250 million in six new projects across Thailand, all of which will be designed, developed and operated in a highly responsible and sustainable way.
