Old refugee building leads way in energy efficiency

In Tavros, Athens, a decades-old refugee apartment building is being transformed to generate double the energy it consumes. This project, called Passivistas: The Tavros Project, retrofits the building to Passive House standards - a model minimizing heating and cooling demands by 90%. This approach focuses on superior insulation and air management to maintain indoor comfort, with minimal renewable energy use.

Led by Greece's Passive House Institute (EIPAK) and funded by the RINNO Project, Greenpeace, and the Municipality of Moschato-Tavros, the initiative aims to support vulnerable households by fully covering the renovation costs, while setting a precedent for urban energy efficiency.

The four-floor building with eight apartments, originally built in the 1970s, is designed to sustain an indoor temperature between 20 and 25C, with added soundproofing and humidity...