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Ειρήνης Κασιούμη

Architect/Urban Designer, PhD candidate ETH Zurich

από τα πιο ενεργά μέλη του Συλλόγου Προστασίας Περιβάλλοντος Ιωαννίνων, στους παρακάτω συνδέμους, με τίτλο:

Eco-neighborhoods: a sustainable approach to urban development (part 1/2)

Eco-neighborhoods: a sustainable approach to urban development (part 2/2)

“Potential for green developments in Greece

So far, the vast majority of eco-neighborhoods and projects have been constructed in Northern Europe. This can be attributed to a combination of technical capacity, favorable regulations, and a strong planning culture, particularly for large-scale projects.

In Greece, environmental awareness about urban development has been slow to pick up. The disconnect between building regulations and local government planning, along with a general incompetence of state planning mechanisms, have led to a minimal control of urban expansion, let alone the implementation of environmentally-friendly urban features. Green building construction also lags behind, as mentioned in the first article of the column, due to a combination of developers’ reluctance to invest, engineers’ poor know-how, a deficit in end-users’ awareness and lack of financial incentives.

However, there are positive signs of change. Residents are starting to appreciate not only the environmental value but also the economic sense that energy efficiency makes. Some Greek municipalities are getting involved in European programs for sustainable cities that aim to improve public spaces, transportation networks, building efficiency and encourage green mobility in addition to local environmental protection. At the national level, new building regulations make energy calculations imperative and incentivize the implementation of some features of passive architecture (such as double facades and greenhouses). Nevertheless there is still a long way to go.”