Eco-friendly Philosophy
At Hotel Paral·lel, we’re committed not just to the well-being of our guests and visitors, but also to that of the planet as a whole. Each and every day, we strive to minimize our impact on the environment by embracing energy efficiency and offering services that conserve natural resources.
We’ve earned the Biosphere Sustainable Lifestyle certification, showcasing our commitment to Biosphere Sustainable Tourism, supported by Barcelona Tourism, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Barcelona City Hall. We’re also part of Barcelona + Sustainable, a network of over 1,000 organizations committed to environmental, social, and economic sustainability that collectively work to enhance the city’s respect for its inhabitants and its environment. This commitment is aligned with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, through the World Charter for Sustainable Tourism +20.
We have a no plastic, no paper philosophy and share information with our guests via the in-room Smart TV. We encourage our guests to use resources responsibly, with taps that shut off automatically, and opt-in towel change service, and we work to reduce the use of plastics and promote the equitable use of resources with automated soap dispensers in all bathrooms.
Our smart building features a new piping system that optimizes and regulates the use of water, prevents leaks, promotes water conservation, and monitors the temperature of water throughout the hotel in an eco-efficient manner.
Recently, the Hotel Paral·lel joined the program for Energy Efficiency and Circular Economy Projects in Tourism Companies, within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (C14.14I2) funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU, with the support of the General Tourism Directorate of the Department of Business of the Catalan Government.
With this grant financed by the EU Next Generation fund (amounting to €453,820.92, with a total budget of €951,820.57), we have been able to carry out the works required at Hotel Paral·lel, replacing the climate control systems, installing domestic hot water equipment, fitting solar thermal panels, and upgrading our doors and windows . All these measures have resulted in a significant improvement in energy efficiency. (increasing our grading from B to A)
More specifically, the project at the Hotel Paral·lel’s (File No. SEC041/22/000082) focused on implementing measures both inside and outside the building, including the replacement of window and door frames with new, higher-performance aluminium models. The energy efficiency of the facilities has also been improved with the installation of a solar thermal system, with 10 VITOSOL 200-TM/300 vacuum tube collectors being fitted flat on the roof and bulkheads. Moreover, in our domestic hot water (DHW) aerothermal and climate control systems, two gas boilers have been replaced with MITSUBISHI ECODAN QAHV-N560YA-HPB(-BS) heat pumps. Alongside the vacuum tube solar collectors, these new heat pumps now supply 100% of the hotel’s DHW. In addition, the 7 Panasonic VRV heat pumps used for climate control have been replaced with 7 equivalent, higher-performance Daikin units (4 REYQ10U, 2 REYQ16U, and 1 REYQ12U). The water storage tanks have also been replaced with three new tanks—two 1,500-litre tanks that collect produced by the outdoor MITSUBISHI units, and one 2,500-litre tank for solar energy accumulation. Lastly, all the indoor units in the rooms have been replaced, with new control systems and electrical connections installed for the new equipment.
With all these improvements at Hotel Paral·lel thanks to the grant awarded for Energy Efficiency and Circular Economy Projects for Tourism Companies, within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan (C14.14I2) financed by the European Union – Next Generation EU, we have achieved a considerable improvement in our energy performance, reducing CO₂ emissions from 36.2 kg CO₂/m² per year to 22.9 kg CO₂/m² per year.
The hotel’s location in the heart of Barcelona and just steps from the mountain of Montjuïc, the Ramblas, and the Old Port, means guests can get just about anywhere on foot. We also offer visitors our Runner’s Corner, which offers three recommended routes to explore from the hotel, to promote a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
At Hotel Paral·lel, we welcome people and their pets as well. This pet-friendly establishment is happy to host the non-human members of your family.
