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Description
The project implemented by the Municipality of Katerini under the GR-Energy Programme focused on transforming the city’s 2nd Municipal Stadium into a modern, energy-efficient sports center. The selection of this specific sports infrastructure was of strategic importance, as it serves as a key venue for the wider region. The complex comprises the indoor swimming pool, the indoor basketball and handball gym, and the sports shooting facility, that accommodate a large number of young people on a daily basis. As part of the GR-Energy Project, all three buildings underwent significant energy-efficiency upgrades through targeted interventions, including:
Indoor Basketball Court:
- Building envelope insulation.
- Replacement of oil boiler with heat pump and installation of fan coil units.
- Replacement of frames with new energy frames.
- Replacement of luminaires with new LED technology.
Indoor swimming pool:
- Installation of a Hybrid Heat Pump for central air conditioning, heating and DHW supply.
- Replacement of conventional lighting with new LED technology.
- Installation of an automation system to control the building''s consumption.
Indoor sports shooting facility:
- Replacement of a conventional boiler with a 50 kW heat pump with fan coils.
- Replacement of lighting fixtures with LED technology.
- Building envelope insulation with 7cm thick extruded polystyrene plates.
- Installation of an Electric Vehicle Charging Station with 10 kWp PV capacity.
In addition, a demonstration charging station for electric vehicles was installed, which is powered by solar energy through a 10 kWp PV system.
The project was successfully implemented and contributed to raising awareness among active groups of the local population about the concepts of RES, the reduction of the energy footprint of buildings and sustainable mobility.
Summary of project results
The project was completed successfully with no significant implementation challenges, except for a notable increase in the cost of materials and equipment compared to the initial budget estimates. This cost escalation was attributed to the broader energy crisis, which had a widespread impact on construction and energy retrofit pricing across Europe.
As a result, additional financial resources were required in the middle of implementation to fulfill the originally defined targets and commitments of the Project Promoter, as specified in the Inclusion Decision. The issue was formally acknowledged, and a request for additional funding was submitted to secure the achievement of the project''s predefined objectives and performance indicators.
In the end, 100% of the Project’s physical object was completed, following all legal procedures and within the framework of the EEA Grants 2014–2021 programme.
The Project of the Municipality of Katerini, under the GR-ENERGY Programme, included the following sub-projects:
Sub-Project 1: Supply and installation of modern energy technologies at the Municipal Stadium of Katerini for its retrofitting into a modern Sports Center with Zero Energy Consumption, which included:
- Supply and installation of a new gas condensing boiler.
- Supply and installation of heat pump in the indoor swimming pool.
- Replacement of conventional luminaires with LED technology in the indoor swimming pool and the indoor gym.
- Installation of a natural gas network and connection to the new boiler.
- Replacement of frames with new energy frames.
Sub-Project 2: Installation of measuring equipment to monitor the project results.
Sub-Project 3: Activities for the Publicity of the project results.
Sub-Project 4: Consultant services for the project monitoring of the Municipality of Katerini.
Sub-Project 5: Energy upgrade interventions at the sports shooting facility, which included:
- Installation of VRV air conditioning units for cooling and heating of the sports shooting facility.
- Replacement of frames with new double-glazed windows.
- Installation of thermal insulation.
- Replacement of lighting fixtures with LED technology.
- Installation of an Electric Vehicle Charging Station
In addition, in the context of strengthening the bilateral relations of the Municipality of Katerini with partners from the Donor Countries, a visit to the premises of the Icelandic National Energy Authority in Reykjavik (Orkustofnun) was carried out in September 2024 to transfer know-how and good practices in the field of green energy transition. Bilateral cooperation actions were carried out, and a report was drawn up assessing the know-how transferred and describing specific results and ways of exploitation by the Municipality of Katerini.
The project successfully achieved the following outcomes:
Enhanced thermal comfort and service quality of Katerini’s sports infrastructure.
Increased public awareness and familiarity with renewable energy technologies, including the installation of a demonstration electric vehicle charging station powered by a 10 kWp photovoltaic system.
Reduced energy consumption and operational costs through the implementation of modern building energy technologies.
Improved environmental performance of the sports facilities, achieved by lowering energy use and thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Therefore, the project contributes to the improvement of the quality of life for the residents of the area, saving resources and creating incentives for modern green energy transition technologies for buildings.