On Monday, March 23, 2026, the inaugural event of the Energy in Buildings: Athens Academy was successfully held at the Serafio City of Athens Hub, marking the beginning of a new collaborative initiative between the City of Athens and the ASHRAE Hellenic Chapter.

The event brought together municipal officials, engineers, academics, researchers, and energy experts with a common objective: strengthening technical knowledge and decision-making capabilities related to the performance, sustainability, and resilience of municipal buildings.

The event was opened by the Mayor of Athens, Mr. Haris Doukas, who highlighted the City’s commitment to addressing energy poverty, improving energy efficiency, and enhancing the resilience of the urban environment. During the opening session, Aristotelis Tsekouras, Government Affairs Committee Chair of the ASHRAE Hellenic Chapter, formally presented the ASHRAE Position Document on Building Decarbonization to the Mayor, emphasizing the shared vision for high-performance, low-carbon, and healthy buildings.

Mr. Grigoris Konstantellos, First Vice President of the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE) and Mayor of Vari–Voula–Vouliagmeni, discussed the challenges faced by local authorities in managing municipal buildings and infrastructure, stressing the importance of reliable technical information and performance-based decision-making.

Representing ASHRAE, Chapter President Chrysostomos Bouras presented the Society’s global role in advancing standards, guidelines, and technical knowledge for the built environment. He emphasized the contribution of ASHRAE to engineering practice, education, research, and public policy worldwide.

The objectives of the Energy in Buildings: Athens Academy were presented by Aristotelis Tsekouras and Dimitris Kollias, who outlined the Academy’s vision to establish a long-term platform for the education and professional development of municipal engineers and technical staff. The initiative aims to promote a common technical language, standardized processes, and evidence-based decision-making through the adoption of internationally recognized ASHRAE standards and best practices.

The technical program included presentations by distinguished experts from academia, research institutions, and the public sector. Topics covered included building renovation strategies, climate change adaptation, smart readiness indicators, artificial intelligence applications in building performance assessment, and sustainable urban development.

The second part of the event featured a dedicated ASHRAE technical workshop focused on internationally recognized standards for healthy, efficient, and resilient buildings. The technical workshop was delivered by experienced Chapter members and certified ASHRAE instructors, including George Pantelidis, Stelios Lampadakis, and Alkis Triantafyllopoulos, who shared practical knowledge and international best practices. Presentations included:
• ASHRAE Standard 188 – Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems
• ASHRAE Standard 55 – Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy
• ASHRAE Standard 62.1 – Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality

These sessions highlighted the critical role of indoor environmental quality, risk management, occupant health, thermal comfort, and ventilation in modern building operation and design.

The launch of the Energy in Buildings: Athens Academy represents an important milestone for the ASHRAE Hellenic Chapter and its Government Affairs activities. Through collaboration with municipalities, public authorities, academia, and industry stakeholders, the Academy aims to support the development of healthier, more energy-efficient, and more sustainable public buildings across Greece.

The challenge is significant, but the first step has been successfully completed. The Energy in Buildings: Athens Academy is now established as a new platform for knowledge exchange, technical capacity building, and collaboration, contributing to the transformation of municipal buildings into healthier, more resilient, and higher-performing assets for local communities.