Hotel Glacier Grindelwald, Switzerland

150 years ago, the road from Interlaken to Grindelwald ended right at the Hotel Glacier. The hotel’s address also has historical roots: “Endweg” was the final stretch that horse-drawn carriages could travel. From here, the men had to travel by horse or on foot to the mighty Grindelwald Glacier to chip away at the ice and transport the massive blocks down.

In 2021, the glaciers continued to retreat, and the hotel’s owners and managers, Justine and Jan Pyott, set themselves an ambitious goal: to implement a comprehensive sustainability strategy and to secure and maintain it through certification. After many fundamental adjustments and an intensive certification process, the Hotel Glacier was awarded the Ibex Fairstay Platinum Label. It is the highest possible distinction from the leading sustainability label in the hospitality industry and has generated significant attention in the media as well as among other hotel operators.

In November 2022, the 40-year-old roof needed to be renovated. The roof has a west-east orientation and a total area of 400 m². "In line with our sustainability strategy, our goal from the very beginning was to equip the roof with a photovoltaic system. We were thrilled to have even found a partner in the Bernese Oberland for this. We want to keep the value chain as close to the region as possible," said Jan Pyott.

The hotel's roof areas were covered with our MegaSlate Alpin The system is designed to withstand the increased snow and wind loads at altitudes above 1,000 meters above sea level. The solar energy system has a total capacity of 85 kWp and, according to calculations, is expected to enable the hotel to achieve a 51% self-sufficiency rate. The hotel features 28 rooms, a commercial kitchen, a spa area, and five whirlpools. “On a cloudless summer day, we expect to be completely self-sufficient,” says Jan Pyott, who has been operating the solar energy system since early 2023.

Jan Pyott advises hotels planning to install a solar energy system in the future to first put their entire sustainability strategy down on paper. To ensure that all threads come together in one place, a responsible person should then be designated who also has the authority to act. Only then will results become visible in a timely manner. It’s worth starting the planning for a solar energy system early, as many clarifications are necessary, and good planning ensures a smooth process during renovation or new construction. At the Hotel Glacier, a total of 18 months elapsed between planning and the installation of the roof modules.