Green Urban Quarter Pilot Project

Location: Sifnou and Voutenis st., Agia Varvara, Athens, Greece Year: 2011 Architects: Collaboration of the following practices: Y. Andreadis (YAP Architects), C. Vei-Spiropoulou (ELIUS – C. Vei Spiropoulou and Partners), A. Kostikas (Architectural Studio Ltd), A.Tombazis (Meletitiki – A.N. Tombazis and Associates Architects Ltd). Architects and authors: Y. Andreadis, C. Vei-Spiropoulou, A. Kostikas, and A.Tombazis. Collaborator: Olga Venetsianou Photographer: Babis Louizidis The Green Urban Quarter Pilot Project is an energy saving renovation of four large scale apartment buildings (1675m2 each) in the municipality of Agia Varvara, greater Athens area. The project is realized within the framework of the national “Green Neighborhood” program, coordinated by the Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CRES).

The project’s aims are:

a) Approximately 60 per cent saving in primary energy consumption, by improving the building’s envelope performance.

b) Motivation of the related supply chain, industries and commercial companies.

c) Quality control of the products and of their implementation in the refurbishment process.

d) Increased awareness of the local residents regarding the benefits of energy upgrading by means of participation and dissemination activities. Four architectural practices experienced in sustainable design were chosen by CRES as consultants.

The building envelope upgrading consists of thermal insulation, windows with double glazing and thermal break, and external shading. The architectural proposal is formed by an austere design with vivid colors, demonstrating that a technically effective and aesthetically pleasant result can be achieved with low cost and by simple means. CRES supervised the design implementation along with the Municipality of Agia Varvara and the Union of commercial companies that sponsored the materials and application of the selected products. Innovative materials, such as self-cleaning paint, were applied to the façade.

The building envelope refurbishment of the three remaining buildings is in progress. The following phase of the project consists of RES installations (geothermal heat pumps, photovoltaic systems, smart metering), as well as external landscaping in order to improve the microclimate of the building block.

An international conference An exhibition A book

Holistic renovation of modernism housing © 2022 ISBN Edited by Rūta Leitanaitė Project manager Marius Dirgėla Design by Moira Visuals © 2022 Printed by Kopa This publications follows up on international conference and travelling exhibition Holistic Renovation of Modernism Housing © 2022