Energy saving in buildings
The buildings and transport sector are the largest consumers of energy in the country. Buildings in Greece account for about 36% of total energy consumption while, during the period 2000–2005, they increased their energy consumption by about 24%, one of the largest increases in Europe.
One of the main reasons why Greek buildings are particularly energy-intensive is their age and the lack of integration of modern technology in them, due to lack of relevant legislation for the last 30 years.
Most of these buildings address issues such as:
• partial or complete lack of thermal insulation,
• old technology frames (frames / single glazing),
• insufficient sun protection of their southern and western faces,
• insufficient utilization of the high solar potential of the country,
• insufficient maintenance of heating / air conditioning systems resulting in low efficiency.
An important parameter that also determines the energy efficiency of a building is the behavior of the tenants. Inadequate information of residents-users on issues of rational use and energy management, often leads to wasteful behaviors such as the installation of individual air conditioning systems without study, the use of low efficiency appliances, or non-maintenance of the heating system, etc.
In this direction, the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change (Y.P.E.K.A.) completing the institutional framework for the energy efficiency of buildings, proceeds, with the co-financing of the European Union, to a package of financial incentives in order to to carry out energy upgrading interventions of the buildings of the residential sector, through the Program “Exoikonomo”.