Bioclimatic Zero Energy School Canteen

A bioclimatic zero-energy School Canteen is currently under construction in Ellinogermaniki Agogi School in Athens. The energy used for catering facilities amounts to around 10 per cent of a school’s energy costs. However, energy savings of up to 60% have been found in some school kitchens by enhancing the efficiency of a school’s catering equipment (Better Buildings U.S. Department of Energy, 2015). The bioclimatic canteen building is part of the school strategy towards the transformation of food systems that require low-carbon, circular and planted-based approaches. The school operates an organic school garden that apart from acting as an open educational environment for all students is producing a significant amount of vegetation being consumed in the school canteen. The building-embedded photovoltaics will generate enough renewable energy on-site to cover 100% of its energy needs on a net annual basis. A heat pump will be used to cover the refrigeration requirements and the heat demand. As the heat demand lasts for a limited time during the day the heat waste of the refrigeration will be pumped to the swimming pool of the campus to reduce the costs of its operation. The aim of the school stakeholders is to transform the canteen into a learning hub for the students to test solutions for reducing energy, and water use and for interacting with the food systems. Through making these efforts highly visible, this leadership inspires a larger movement that significantly accelerates the adoption of a sustainable lifestyle – first around energy, but also other critical areas like food, use of resources, and relationship to the natural world. Ellinogermaniki Agogi is one of the nine FoodSHIFT Accelerator Labs (‘FoodSHIFT 2030 – Transforming the European Food System towards a Low Carbon, Circular and Plant- Based Future’, 2016), established in partnership with engaged citizens, NGOs, SMEs, researchers, local administration, and policymakers to incubate local food system innovations. Through events, tools and resources, we’ll share these innovations and inspire everyone to join the food systems shift.

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