Energy Upgrades and Installation of RES in buildings of the Municipality of Varis-Voulas-Vouliagmenis under the EEA Financial Mechanism Framework

About this project

<p>As part of the GR-Energy Programme, the Municipality of Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni implemented a project aimed at improving energy efficiency and integrating Renewable Energy Sources (RES) across seven municipal buildings. The buildings included in the scope of the project were:</p> <ol> <li> <p>Technical Services Building</p> </li> <li> <p>2^nd Kindergarten of Vari</p> </li> <li> <p>1^st Primary School of Vari</p> </li> <li> <p>1^st Gymnasium of Vari</p> </li> <li> <p>High School of Vari</p> </li> <li> <p>Social Services Building</p> </li> <li> <p>Public Kindergarten of Voula</p> </li> </ol> <p>Interventions in the buildings concerned installation of heat pumps for central air conditioning and heating, replacement of luminaires with LED technology and automations, as well as the installation of BEMS for remote monitoring of their energy profile. In two buildings (1st Gymnasium and High School of Vari) thermal insulation was installed on the roofs to reduce heat losses. In addition, rooftop photovoltaic plants were installed in all the buildings of the Project for self-generation of electricity using virtual net metering.</p> <p>These upgrades elevated all seven school and municipal buildings to <strong>Energy Category B+ or higher</strong>, meeting the criteria for <strong>nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB)</strong>. The improvements resulted in significant energy savings, primarily through reduced consumption of heating oil and electricity.</p> <p>The combination of <strong>photovoltaic systems, heat pumps, and LED lighting</strong> led to a substantial reduction in overall energy use and operating costs. Additionally, the interventions improved <strong>indoor environmental quality</strong>, boosted <strong>sustainability</strong>, and enhanced the <strong>quality of services</strong> offered within the buildings.</p> <p>It is also noteworthy that <strong>excess energy produced by the PV systems</strong> will be offset against other municipal energy needs—such as <strong>street lighting</strong>—further maximizing both environmental and economic benefits for the Municipality.</p>