There are many things that I envy south tyrol (or if you prefer South Tyrol): of course the magnificent landscape of the Dolomites, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, but also a broad culture of respect for the environment. As a tourist, you will often find special attention to eco-sustainability: organic and short-chain agricultural products, renewable energies, green construction. In the bars it is difficult to find plastic bottles, for those who do not want to drink the excellent water from the taps and fountains, the local mineral water (from Merano or Monte Plose) is almost always available in glass.
In this section of Biocuentos I want to highlight structures that have opted for ecology placing it at the center of its activities, I am speaking here of the Naturhotel Rainer in Racines in Val Giovo.
Choosing where to stay on vacation is an important consideration: the location of the hotel, the quality of the rooms, the services offered, the quality of the restaurant… I like to think that eco-sustainability can also be a decision criterion .
Contents [Ocultar]
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The eco-sustainability of Naturhotel Rainer
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clean and renewable energy
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natural design
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Well-being for the body and the environment
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Electric car
Contents
The eco-sustainability of Naturhotel Rainer
One premise is correct: the Rainer is a luxurious 4 star hotel , with a swimming pool, a large wellness area, top-of-the-range catering and many other facilities designed around holidays in absolute comfort. I won’t go into all of that here, what I like to point out is that even a high-ranking structure can focus on eco-sustainability.
The structure is attentive to the environment at 360 degrees : in the materials chosen for the furniture and the architecture, in the energy efficiency, but also in many small details.
For example, inside the rooms there are invitations not to waste water, not to leave the lights on and not to change the bedding unnecessarily. They are very polite communications , that nothing takes away the comfort of the party, but that can be done even by those who are not used to having these attentions that cost nothing. In the room we also find the the divided bin for recycling the first time I see him in a hotel.
clean and renewable energy
Heating in winter in Val Giovo is certainly a high consumption item, to cope with this the Hotel Rainer is equipped with a biomass heating system. , which uses short-chain wood sourced from local farmers and forests in the region. The saving in terms of CO2 emissions is considerable, just think that around 40,000 liters of diesel fuel are used per year less than a traditional boiler solution.
In addition, the hotel has a thermoelectric block factory , always powered exclusively by renewable biomass, capable of producing electricity and heat. The electricity produced is fed into the grid, contributing to the production of renewable energy. However, South Tyrol is at the forefront of renewable energy just think that in Val Giovo alone there are two hydroelectric power stations.
All cooling systems of the hotel have engines cooled with cold water, which once heated is used for the Jacuzzi. Nail rational energy recovery this avoids unnecessary consumption for the ventilation of the refrigerators and simultaneously for heating the water in the spa.
At the top of the whole electrical system, there is control software designed to optimize consumption in general, avoiding peaks and energy consumption.
natural design
The use of local and natural materials it is a central point of the structure, also aesthetically: local stones and pine wood ennoble the furniture and the architecture.
The stone pine wood used in the furnishing of bedrooms, the silver quartzite from Val di Vizze (30 km) for the wellness center. In addition to being materials from the region, they are wellness options. Stone, for example, has natural antibacterial properties that make it ideal for a swimming pool and sauna. Wood has a relaxing effect on the body.
Well-being for the body and the environment
A natural environment, such as the mountains of South Tyrol, is ideal for a regenerating rest . Within the structure itself, attention to the well-being of the body is combined with good ecological practices.
the indoor swimming pool purified by salt electrolysis . The right amount of salt avoids the use of harmful and polluting products, without disturbing the skin in the least. The principle is that of the sea, but the percentage of salt is 8 times lower.
In the bedrooms, you sleep surrounded by natural furniture scented with Swiss pine and no wifi . There is therefore no electromagnetic pollution, but the beneficial effect of pine wood, which helps regulate the heart rate for better rest during sleep.
Restaurant , in addition to offering gourmet dishes, combines the concept of well-being with naturalness and offers healthy dishes based on the acid-base balance. On the menu, the many vegetables on the menu are mainly short chain often at zero kilometers, because the hotel also has a vegetable garden where wheat and vegetables are grown in an environmentally friendly way.
The Rainer also has own pasture where cattle are raised during the summer months. This means not only offering your customers a beautiful excursion to the mountains, but above all being able to serve meat of their own production in the restaurant, from animals raised in pristine mountain areas.
Electric car
In order to engage in sustainable mobility, the hotel offers a free charging station for electric cars .
But that’s not all: the Rainer has Tesla Model S cars which can be rented by customers for emission-free travel during the holidays.