• Energy Research

Abstract Energy poverty can be understood as the inability of a household to secure socially and materially the necessitated level of energy services in the home. This condition is described as either energy or fuel poverty and it has been recognized by the EU's so called “Third Energy Package”. The work in this field has identified a number of household-level factors that influence the likelihood of experiencing domestic deprivation, with particular emphasis being placed on understanding how education levels correlates to the phenomenon. In that perspective, and in order to study the dynamics of energy poverty in Greece, a questionnaire was prepared and distributed mainly by means of in-situ interviews and, in exceptional cases, in remote sessions. The evidence presented in this paper is based on a comprehensive study of 762 questionnaires mainly for Western Macedonia (43.6%) and Central Macedonia (42.6%), Greece. Using the quantitative data gathered, we measure the energy vulnerability concerning the quality of the housing–dwelling, the heating system, indoor thermal comfort and the net-income. The research is, to our knowledge, the first attempt to analyze residential energy, habitants’ behavior, and attitudes in the middle of the economic crisis in North Greece. It has been determined, that the middle class has become the most vulnerable class in that sense. A further scope of this paper is not only to present this data, which prove that domestic energy deprivation appears not only in Southern but also in Northern Greece, but also to discuss measures that can be adopted in order mitigate energy and social vulnerability of the middle class.

The last two decades’ scientists have become increasingly interested in the aspects of energy poverty. In order to study the dynamics of energy poverty in Northern Greece a field study was carried out. The evidence presented is based on a comprehensive study of 350 questionnaires mainly for Western (47%) and Central Macedonia (45%), in Northern Greece. The questionnaire focused on the household’ and users’ characteristics, allowing for regional specific effects. Additionally, in an effort to study and quantify the relation between households’ net-income and the most common indicators of energy poverty a Chi-square test was estimated. At the same time six temperature and humidity loggers have been distributed to selected participants to record real-time data. Overall, the results of the survey unveiled that various characteristics of the domestic demand for heating are linked with the household’s net-income.

AbstractA family of composite cool thermal insulation materials has been developed as part of the DICOM research project, in order to provide building materials optimized for the retrospective insulation of existing buildings, which contribute in particular to the reduction of cooling loads in summer. An integrated evaluation of the materials was carried out in 2013-2014, by means of in vitro and in situ measurements, in order to determine and evaluate the materials’ performance and the thermal comfort conditions before and after the retrofitting. Finally, a Life Cycle Analysis was carried for the materials, in order to evaluate their environmental impact.

The significance of bioclimatic architecture has become widely accepted since the 1970s and the implementation of its principles in practice is a key factor in order to achieve energy efficiency in the building sector. The way, however, from scientific acceptance to commercial utilization is not a straightforward one. This paper deals with the notion of bioclimatic architecture in buildings and investigates the aspects of this concept in Hellas. A sample of university researchers, building contractors and members of public organisations was interviewed using a standardised set of guidelines. The barriers to promoting bioclimatic design, role of the local government in the adoption process, level of environmental culture as well as perspectives of this concept in Hellas were the key areas of discussion in each of the interviews. The results from the data analysis reveal insufficient economic incentives, a lack in technical information as well as a lack in specific environmental policies that would foster the propagation of bioclimatic architecture.

Abstract The present paper examines the phenomenon of energy poverty in Greece. Specifically, energy poverty concerns a growing number of households that have limited access to energy or are unable to pay for this energy, mainly due to insufficient thermal insulation, low income and high energy costs. The continuing economic crisis in Greece has increased the rate of energy poverty as incomes have fallen, the price of oil and PPC tariffs have risen, more households are asked to pay more than 20% of their energy bill income. Excessive energy poverty in turn has an impact on the environment (illegal logging, smog, etc.), but also to the physical and mental health of people exposed to it. The paper includes a case study which provides information and data collected from a sample of 384 households using the questionnaire method in four areas of northern Greece, which is the Edessa area in Central Macedonia, the area of Drama in Eastern Macedonia, the area of Xanthi and the Municipality of Myki (Pomakohoria) in Thrace. Initially, personal data, housing characteristics and household health status are presented. The types of heating system of the examined households and the extent to which they meet the required levels of thermal comfort are presented below. In addition, the aforementioned data is associated with the energy accounts. The findings, show that energy poverty has affected a significant proportion of households in Greece. This is due to the fact that there are households that do not meet the energy needs of their home.

Abstract Energy poverty implies the situation of a household not able to satisfy the required levels of energy services in the house. Nowadays, it became an increasingly pressing problem even in the wealthier EU member states. Factors that play a major role in this development involve the complex interplay or rising energy prices, stagnant or decreasing incomes, high levels or unemployment and the slow rate of redevelopment for improving energy efficiency in residential buildings. It is therefore not surprising that official statistics show that nearly 17% of the EU-28 population is at risk of income poverty, 9.9% constitutes a material deprivation risk and around 23% of the population is considered to be at risk of poverty or social exclusion. The specific study aims to investigate energy poverty and its effect in Central Makedonia, in northern Greece, where the climate is harsher and heating requirements significantly higher than in the other parts of the country. A questionnaire aiming to assess energy poverty in low income urban areas was used. The questionnaire followed the example of a number of different studies that have dealt with the energy consumption of households and its correlation with various socio-economic parameters for various countries worldwide. In these studies the main parameters that were considered were the average household size, their income and the thermal characteristics of the building. A sample was collected after interviewing residents in order to assess the impact on the quality of life, energy consumption and heath of urban residents. The paper hence describes this situation and presents the research results that shows a disability to satisfy socially and materially the required levels of energy services.

Abstract Cold homes and energy poverty have been identified as major contributors to health and social inequality that could be alleviated through energy efficiency measures. In fact, the reduction of the number of persons at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the EU via energy reconstructions in buildings is one of the key targets of the Europe 2020 strategy. Research on energy poverty and health impacts of affordable warmth initiatives have primarily to date been conducted using quantitative and statistical methods, limiting the way how energy poverty is understood. This study took is a longitudinal approach that focused on Hellenic households during economic crisis. It and records the energy efficiency measures that were adopted during 2012–15 in order to overcome cold. The evidence of our research, is based on a comprehensive study of 491 questionnaires from low-income households mainly from North Greece. The findings show that around 37% of the sample face the energy poverty problem and around 50% could not afford to upgrade energy efficiency at their households, in order to addresses the problem as its roots. In general, the results show that improving the energy efficiency of homes at risk of energy poverty has a profound impact on wellbeing and quality of life.