Academy of Athens going green with geothermal heating and cooling

Akropolis, Athens/ Greece (source: flickr/ dorena-wm, creative commons)

The 130-year old Academy of Athens building in Greece will be going green using a combination of solar power and geothermal heat. This marks the first time that geothermal energy will be used by a main building in central Athens.

Geothermal energy will come from wells drilled to a depth of 100 meters below the surface. One well has already been completed and 17 others are planned to be drilled soon. These wells will be used to heat the building during winter and cool the building during summer.

The Academy of Athens is the national academy and the highest research establishment in Greece. Established in 1926, it is considered the most important work of Dutch architect Theophil Hansen and one of the most beautiful neoclassic buildings in the world.

“In combination with the replacement of window frames, the energy interventions ensure zero energy consumption, zero greenhouse gas emissions, and full energy autonomy for a historic Athens building,” said Christos Zerefos, the Academy’s general secretary.

Source: Greek City Times