Energy
The European Union is committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and has set specific energy and climate targets for 2030: a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% compared to 1990 levels, an improvement in energy efficiency by at least 1.49% on an annual average basis, an increase in the contribution of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) to at least 42.5% of final energy consumption (with a proposal to reach 45%), and the promotion of electricity interconnections between neighboring states to 15%. Greece has set a target for 2030 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% compared to 1990 levels.
The climate crisis demands the rapid phasing out of fossil fuels and immediate energy transition actions towards renewable sources. Nevertheless, the Greek energy system still largely relies on fossil and imported fuels, and the electrical system has limited interconnectivity with European networks.
The building sector plays a key role in European energy policy as it is responsible for approximately 40% of the total final energy consumption in the EU and about one-third of carbon dioxide emissions. Consequently, the most significant energy savings are expected to come from the building sector and will contribute decisively to achieving the goal of decarbonizing the European economy by 2050. In Greece, harmonization with the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) began with KENAK, which first came into force in 2010 and was revised in 2017 with stricter minimum requirements. Since 2020, new buildings are nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEB), with very low energy consumption primarily covered by renewable sources. The major challenge is the enormous existing building stock, as the majority of Greek buildings were constructed before 1980 and are characterized by low energy efficiency and problematic indoor environmental quality. At the same time, buildings and the built environment must adapt to withstand the phenomena and impacts of climate change.
The IEPA research team:
- Examines the integration of RES into the electricity system and final consumption, as well as the potential for promoting energy saving measures (from the micro-scale of a building and business to the macro-scale of the national system), taking into account existing potential, economic efficiency, and technological limitations.
- Is active in the rational use of energy in buildings, in the better design of buildings and HVAC installations, and in the selection of optimal energy saving measures with the integration of RES technologies at the building level or in the building stock. Furthermore, the overall energy-environmental impacts of buildings throughout their life cycle are investigated with the ultimate goal of decarbonizing the building stock by 2050.
- Investigates the use of geo-observation methods to facilitate access to RES and energy planning and management services, thereby contributing significantly to the formulation of energy transition and security policies, with social cohesion as the highest priority.
- Develops innovative approaches to minimize climate risks and increase the resilience of the built environment to the impacts of climate change.
Research Challenges
Through a variety of research projects and infrastructures, IEPA strives to answer the many scientific challenges that characterize energy transition research.
Building Sector
- Modeling of building stock with building typologies for operational and embodied carbon decarbonization
- Assessment of building and built environment sustainability at neighborhood and city scale
- Assessment of the resilience of buildings and the built environment at different scales
- Facilitating life cycle analysis of buildings with data adapted to regional and national levels
Energy Forecasting Sector
- Development of realistic long-term energy planning scenarios, compatible with the challenge of energy transition
- Integration of emerging energy technologies whose future investment costs still present great uncertainty
- Evaluation of the effectiveness of energy policies and measures in light of energy poverty issues and their impacts on public health and social cohesion
- Large-scale integration of stochastic RES into the energy system
Solar Energy Monitoring and Forecasting Sector
- Development of tools and applications to support decision-making regarding the design and management of photovoltaic and solar thermal systems at all scales with innovative geo-observation solutions
- Development of tools and applications for the more efficient integration of energy generated from RES into local and regional smart grids
- Development of tools and applications for the penetration of solar systems in smart city environments
The research activities of IERSD focus on these scientific challenges, combining data collection and utilization, development of analytical methodologies, models, and tools, field research, and meaningful communication with decision-makers and citizens.
IERSD’s goal is for the results of energy research to reach society, serving collective well-being.
Key Research Areas
Energy saving
in buildings
- Thermal simulations for estimating energy saving potential and pollutant emission reduction
- Performance indicators and baseline values for energy consumption and pollutant emissions
- High energy performance buildings
- Energy and diagnostic inspections
Contact:
Elena Daskalaki (edask@noa.gr)
Kalliopi Droutsa (pdroutsa@noa.gr)
Sustainability – Resilience
- Building, neighborhood, and city sustainability assessment systems
- Building, neighborhood, and city resilience assessment systems to climate change impacts
Contact:
Kalliopi Droutsa (pdroutsa@noa.gr)
Konstantinos Balaras (costas@noa.gr)
Building Stock
- Building typologies
- Building stock modeling for estimating energy savings and pollutant emission reduction
- Evaluation of building stock energy upgrade scenarios at small, medium, and large scales
- Assessment of medium-to-long-term strategies towards building stock decarbonization
Contact:
Elena Daskalaki (edask@noa.gr)
Konstantinos Balaras (costas@noa.gr)
Building Life Cycle Analysis
- Database for embodied energy/carbon in building materials and systems adapted to national level
- Calculation of embodied energy and carbon footprint
Contact:
Elena Daskalaki (edask@noa.gr)
Konstantinos Balaras (costas@noa.gr)
Energy Scenarios
- Forecasting future energy balances based on the utilization of different technologies.
- Evaluation of the effectiveness of economic and regulatory energy policies
Contact:
Elena Georgopoulou (elenag@noa.gr)
Sev. Moirasgentis (seba@noa.gr)
Renewable Energy Applications
- Digital twins of smart cities for managing distributed solar energy generation
- Artificial intelligence for solar potential forecasting
- Airborne wind energy systems
- Solar electric cars
- Climate services and decision support applications for renewable sources
- Solar cadastre and energy planning
- Geo-observation methods to support renewable energy applications
Contact:
Panagiotis Kosmopoulos (pkosmo@noa.gr)
Energy Poverty
- Development of indicators for measuring energy poverty levels
- Algorithms for identifying energy-poor households
- Effectiveness of measures to address energy poverty
Contact:
Yiannis Sarafidis (sara@noa.gr)
Sev. Moirasgentis (seba@noa.gr)
Achievements – Distinctions of Team Members
Participation in the Technical Committee of the Ministry of Energy for Energy Poverty
Inclusion of an IERSD researcher in the top 2% of most influential scientists globally and in specific scientific fields for buildings, energy, and the built environment, consistently since 2018
Participation in the working groups of the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE) for the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulation (KENAK) of the TOTEE, the development and maintenance of the TEE-KENAK software and computational core
Participation in the ASHRAE Technology Council (2022-2025), Chair of the Special Projects Subcommittee and representation on the Standing Committee of the ASHRAE Center of Excellence for Building Decarbonization (CEBD), Member of the Board of Directors and Regional Chair Region XIV of ASHRAE (2017-2020)
Participation in the international committee for the development of the new ASHRAE Standard 240P – Evaluating Greenhouse Gas (GHG) and Carbon Emissions in Building Design, Construction and Operation and ASHRAE Standard & International Green Construction Code IgCC 189.1 – Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings
Participation in the technical advisory committee of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) for climate services related to renewable energy sources in developing countries
Participation, as lead expert consultant in the Environment thematic area within the preparatory action on the “Knowledge Management Platform for the New European Bauhaus” of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and the creation of the relevant JRC Guide
Representation of the OACPS organization at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28, Dubai 2023) to present advanced services contributing to decision-making regarding the optimal use and application of renewable sources in African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries
Representative projects
ReMED – Towards climate resilient urban cities
ReMED aims to develop innovative methods and tools to enhance the capacity of public authorities to develop, implement, and monitor adaptation measures at building and city scale. The project produces capacity-building measures for public authorities using a user-friendly online platform tested in various municipalities such as the Municipality of Fyli in Greece, the Municipality of Malaga in Spain, the Municipality of Genoa in Italy, and Gozo in Malta, to support the implementation of adaptation measures through policy tools. The main outcome of the project is the overall increase in the capacity of public authorities in developing effective measures to improve the resilience of cities to the impacts of climate change.
Duration: 2024-2027
Funding: Interreg Euro MED, European Regional Development Fund
Contact: Konstantinos Balaras (costas@noa.gr)
CLIMPACT II (Support for the operational upgrade of the National Network for Climate Change)
The project aims to collect and utilize data on climate change, develop methodologies and tools for assessing impacts and adaptation measures in critical sectors (energy, tourism, agriculture, health, urban environment), and develop early warning tools for critical infrastructure, energy, and health. It also includes the formulation and evaluation of decarbonization scenarios for the Greek economy until 2050, and their impacts on electricity costs, economic growth, and employment.
Duration: 2023-2025
Funding: National Development Programme – Ministry of Development – General Secretariat for Research and Innovation
Contact: Sevastianos Moirasgentis (seba@noa.gr)
ENACT (Climate Change, Health and Energy: Impacts and Interactions)
The project assesses the impacts of climate change on health and energy. In the energy sector, emphasis is placed on energy poverty, as well as the effect of future climatic conditions on energy demand in various sectors. In the health sector, direct and indirect impacts of climate change are estimated, while an Early Warning Protocol is being developed for the Ministry of Health regarding episodes of air pollution and harmful particulates (e.g., PM2.5). Furthermore, it investigates how these two sectors interact with each other, as well as with other critical sectors of the national economy.
Duration: 2023-2025
Funding: Green Fund
Contact: Nikos Mihalopoulos (nmihalo@noa.gr)
JustReDi (Resilience, Inclusiveness and Development: Towards a Just Green and Digital Transition of Greek Regions)
The digital transformation and green transition in Greece must be achieved with terms of justice, resilience, sustainable development, and social inclusion. The project aims to contribute to this through actions such as assessing impacts on households and energy poverty, mapping areas, and identifying professional groups and economic sectors that are cumulatively or differentially affected or benefited, etc.
Duration: 2023-2025
Funding: Recovery and Resilience Facility
Contact: Sevastianos Moirasgentis (seba@noa.gr)
Sustainable MED Cities (Integrated tools and methodologies for sustainable Mediterranean cities)
Within the framework of the Sustainable MED Cities project, a system of innovative tools and methodologies is being developed for Mediterranean municipalities to create effective policies, strategies, and action plans related to the Mediterranean strategy for sustainable development 2016-2025.
Duration: 2021-2023
Funding: ENI CBC MED
Contact: Konstantinos Balaras (costas@noa.gr)
EIFFEL (Revealing the role of GEOSS as the default digital portal for building climate change adaptation & mitigation applications)
Within the project, a decision support tool for sustainable urban development (pilot “Sustainable Urban Development”) is being developed, with components including building energy efficiency and the potential for electricity generation from rooftop photovoltaics. The tool allows for the study of scenarios for policy formulation towards achieving medium- and long-term goals for decarbonizing the building stock and is applied to the building stock of the Municipality of Penteli (small scale) and the Attica Region (medium scale). The results are presented at the block level and at the municipal level.
Duration: 2021-2024
Funding: HORIZON 2020
Contact: Evangelos Gerasopoulos (egera@noa.gr)
ClimSA – Intra-ACP climate services and related applications programme
The ClimSA action under the 11th European Development Fund aims at coordinated access for developing countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific to renewable energy sources and geo-observation services for energy planning and management, thereby contributing significantly to the formulation of energy transition and security policies, with social cohesion as the highest priority. IEPA, as an official member of the technical advisory committee for climate services related to renewable energy sources in developing countries, coordinates the development of advanced renewable energy climate services, which will potentially contribute to decision-making regarding their optimal use and application by developing states. The main goal is the use of modern technologies in building regional resilience of vulnerable countries against climate change and their immediate implementation.
Duration: 2021-2024
Funding: European Union initiative implemented by the organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States
Contact: Panagiotis Kosmopoulos (pkosmo@noa.gr)
ThinkingEarth – Copernicus Foundation Models for a Thinking Earth
Support for energy communities for distributed solar energy generation and demand management at the smart city level. Creation of digital twins for Athens and the Lower Austria State
Duration: 2024-2026
Funding: European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)
Contact: Panagiotis Kosmopoulos (pkosmo@noa.gr)
CiROCCO – Enhancing the in-situ environmental observations across under-sampled deserts
Renewable energy planning using low-cost sensors, pilot application, and experimental campaign at the world’s largest photovoltaic park, in Benban, Egypt.
Duration: 2023-2026
Funding: European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme
Contact: Panagiotis Kosmopoulos (pkosmo@noa.gr)
Research Team
No staff members found in this category.