Barcelona is situated on the Mediterranean coast of
Spain, linking up with the French Riviera and then the Italian one.
The city of Barcelona stands out for its commitment to renewable
energies, in particular solar energy. Since 2000, all buildings
must source 60% of their hot water from solar energy.

The Agència d'energia de Barcelona, a consortium established to
respond to Agenda 21 and the international treaties of the summits
of Kyoto, Johannesburg, Aalborg and Rio de Janeiro, is
actively involved in awareness campaigns on energy saving,
in the development of energy consumption monitoring systems
and in installations for producing clean energy. In
2004, a port area of Barcelona was redeveloped, giving rise to
a seafront promenade, the Parc del Forum, dotted with
buildings designed by architects from around the world.

The most important structure along this waterfront is
the Pergola Solar del Forum photovoltaic installation. The installation harnesses
solar radiation, so abundant in Mediterranean countries,
and meets the energy needs of the
city. True to its name, the Pergola provides shade, while
another nearby structure, also covered with solar panels,
becomes an ideal venue for parties, markets and concerts, such as the
Primavera Sound festival.

In its commitment to economic development that takes into account
new sustainable technologies, the city of Barcelona has launched
the 22@Barcelona initiative.
Innovative projects presented by emerging businesses are matched
with suitable spaces in the vast former industrial zone of Poblenou. The
vision is to transform the abandoned sites
within this area and turn it into a place where residential
housing, green spaces and innovative businesses coexist. In
this way, a district marked by the industries of the last century
gains new life and becomes a hub of clean technologies. The
historic buildings of the former industries are preserved, while
at the same time universities, research institutes and applied
new technology centres move in.

There is therefore a monthly breakfast meeting to stay
up to date on developments at 22@Barcelona, but also to hear
experiences and contributions on the economy drawing inspiration
from sustainable innovation. The 22@Barcelona project also aims to
create the conditions for the exchange of information and for
communication amongst professionals, and ultimately to be of use
to families as well, for whom specific spaces and projects are
devised to provide access to technological tools, education and knowledge. An
audiovisual project, for example, seeks to record the historical
memory of the elderly residents who have always lived in that area.

Like many other European cities that promote the use
of bicycles for everyday travel, Barcelona
has the Bicing system, which allows thousands of people to
get around without using a car and without polluting. Bicing
was introduced in 2007 and demand for it as a means of
transport is continually growing. With a minimum annual subscription,
one can use a bicycle whenever needed, with
dedicated stations for picking it up and dropping it off. Since its
introduction to the streets of the Spanish metropolis, the sharing-based
system has not only been a success but has also
helped to eliminate the problem of bicycle theft.

Finally, one cannot talk about Barcelona without mentioning
its architecture. Barcelona is defined by the visual presence of the buildings
of its most famous architect, Antoni Gaudí. Gaudí's
creativity is decidedly the heritage of architects from beyond
Catalonia alone. Near Barcelona airport
one can admire the flower market, Mercabarna
Flor, a building of striking colours in which the interplay of
humidity and temperature has been carefully studied for the preservation of
flowers, designed by Argentine architect Willy Muller. Gaudí's
inspiration reaches as far as Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, where we find
the Faro Berimbau designed by Catalan architect Luis de Garrido according to
sustainable principles such as natural ventilation, a closed water
cycle and solar energy. Visually, the Faro incorporates
the majesty, sinuosity and colours of a building
by Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona, even though its form is inspired by
the Brazilian percussion instrument of the same name.

IN BRIEF
Through the enhancement of the built environment with interventions
that take into account energy and water saving and the
reduction of emissions, a better
quality of life can be achieved. Barcelona has chosen to
harvest solar energy, which is available in abundance, and every
building must be adapted or constructed with the appropriate installations.
Furthermore, a former industrial area of the city is
destined to become an urban laboratory, 22@Barcelona, for ideas of an economy based
on sustainable criteria and technologies, and around which a community
vision could be developed. A stretch of Barcelona's waterfront is home to the largest solar installation in Europe,
providing 444kw of electricity with its 2,668 monocrystalline modules.

WHAT TO SEE
The city park La
Ciutadella, which contains corners where you can pause
and find moments of relaxation. The park's paths lead to places worth
visiting, such as the Zoo de Barcelona, the Museu de Art Contemporani de
Barcelona and the Museu de Geologia.
Solar energy in the city: the Pergola Solar del
Forum, the largest photovoltaic panel structure in
Europe.
The Museu Picasso, entirely dedicated to the works
of the Catalan painter, hosting events, exhibitions and a wide-ranging
educational programme. www.museupicasso.bcn.es/en/

WHAT WE LIKE
La Báscula is a vegetarian restaurant
run as a cooperative, offering fresh food and
a welcoming atmosphere in a large space that was originally a chocolate
factory.
• Flassaders, 30 tel. 933 199 866
At Hotel Omm, in addition to the rooftop kitchen garden that
supplies the restaurant, specific treatments are available, such as
one for jet lag with natural and
organic products.
• www.hotelomm.es
Casa Camper is a hotel that uses
solar panels for water heating and has
reduced water consumption in the bathroom by 50%.
• www.casacamper.com
Santa Marta, a bar by the sea in
Barcelona where you can try the Sangria de cava with champagne and
birra clara, beer mixed with lemonade.
• Carrer de Gran i Torras, 59