Overview

At a Glance

FYLI_NZES is a groundbreaking project that aims to transform the public school building stock of the Municipality of Fyli, in Attica, Greece through energy efficiency retrofits and upgrades. Funded under the LIFE Clean Energy Transition (CET) Programme of the European Union, the project will deliver Project Development Assistance (PDA) that will mature said investments, making them attractive for private financing and for facilitating their implementation through the use of Energy Performance Contracting. The project will also improve the capacity of the Municipality of Fyli and other stakeholders to manage and monitor the implementation of the FYLI_NZES project and similar projects in the future.

The main activities of FYLI_NZES include:

  • Establishment of a permanent and innovative organisational structure (Project Development Unit), properly trained and equipped, to sustain, mainstream and expand project results and impacts beyond sector and geographical limits.
  • Mobilisation of private investments with innovative financial instruments (Energy Performance Contracting).
  • Design and implementation of energy efficiency measures to reduce energy demand.
  • Generation of renewable energy (through solar panels) to increase energy supply.

Project concept

Project Concept
 

The FYLI_NZES project was conceived in response to critical challenges faced by the Municipality of Fyli regarding the energy inefficiency of its school buildings. Many of these buildings suffer from outdated infrastructure, leading to excessive energy consumption, high operational costs, and poor indoor conditions that affect the comfort and well-being of students and educators.

FYLI_NZES is built on the concept of advancement of a suite of strategies focused on enhancing sustainable energy within public educational facilities in the Municipality of Fyli, meticulously designed to slash energy consumption by a minimum of 50% from existing benchmarks while concurrently harnessing solar energy power through photovoltaic systems to fulfil an additional 30% of the buildings’ energy requirements. Complementary to this goal, but of equal importance, the project employs a methodological approach that contributes to the increase of the administrative capacity to launch similar investment pipelines in the future. Furthermore, through outreach and cataloguing activities the project creates the materials and tools that allow the easy future replication and transfer to other territories (horizontal expansion) or other types of buildings (vertical expansion).

Objectives

Objectives

FYLI_NZES aims to advance sustainable energy solutions in the Municipality of Fyli by implementing strategic actions that enhance energy efficiency and promote innovative financing mechanisms. To achieve this, the project focuses on the following key objectives:

  • Develop a sustainable energy projects’ pipeline by establishing a solid organisational structure, the Project Development Unit (PDU), in the Municipality of Fyli, for the proper management and timely implementation not only of the FYLI_NZES project but for other sustainable energy projects of the Municipality as well. The ultimate goal for the PDU is to be fully competent and independent by the end of the project to develop and implement relevant energy-related initiatives.
  • Mobilise private funding for Near-Zero Energy Schools and reduce reliance on public funding through Energy Performance Contracting. Private funding will be mobilised through: a) Bundling of public assets in order to increase their attractiveness to Energy Service Companies (ESCOs); and b) Blending of public and private financing, i.e., combining financial resources available through national public funding schemes with financing by ESCOs.
  • Foster replicability / transferability, exploitation and sustainability of project outputs and results by promoting the replicability and transferability of FYLI_NZES innovative elements, tools and methodologies, capitalising on existing good practices by examining their vertical and horizontal expansion, and raising awareness of end-users, stakeholders and citizens about the energy, environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the project.

By achieving these objectives, the FYLI_NZES project aims to set a new standard for sustainable development in educational infrastructure, benefiting both the local community and the environment.

Impact

Impact

FYLI_NZES is a pioneering initiative with a profound, multi-dimensional impact, from energy efficiency and environmental protection to organisational resilience and social cohesion. The implementation of the FYLI_NZES project will trigger a total amount of 18,3 mEUR of strategic investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy generation for 39 public schools of all educational levels in the Municipality of Fyli, accounting for a total surface area of 45.000 m2, and realised through innovative financial instruments.

In terms of energy and environmental impact, the implementation of the foreseen investments will result in:

  • Energy savings: Primary energy savings of 4 GWh/year and final energy savings of 2,1 GWh/year.
  • Reduction of GHG emissions by 7 tCO2eq/year.
  • Renewable energy generation of 3 GWh/year..

However, FYLI_NZES goes beyond energy savings and renewable energy generation; it encompasses a multifaceted ambition that includes:

  • Improvement of social cohesion, through the provision of a better (in many aspects) educational offering in a very underprivileged area and through the generation of savings that can be can be addressed to other socioeconomic developmental goals of the Municipality of Fyli, including energy poverty.
  • Building organisational resilience in the Municipality of Fyli through the establishment of a permanent innovative organisational structure (Project Development Unit), properly trained and equipped, in order to sustain, mainstream and expand project results and impacts, and through the capacity-building activities for municipal civil servants and other stakeholders in sustainable energy practices, technologies and tools.
  • Local job creation by the implementation of the project, throught the generation of employment opportunities in the fields of construction, energy efficiency, and renewable energy.

The impact of FYLI_NZES extends beyond energy efficiency, creating a sustainable, healthy, and economically beneficial future for schools and the wider community.