Greece: 204 million euros for public space improvements

An invitation was submitted to submit applications for financing of mature projects for interventions in urban areas and in the building stock, with the aim of improving the public space. The program, with a budget of 204 million euros (plus VAT), is funded by the Recovery Fund and is addressed to Municipalities and Regions, Development Societes Anonymes and Local Government Organizations, as well as to any public body and service that is eligible to participate.

The proposals that will be submitted should concern strategic projects in the public space and in the building stock of urban areas, with the aim of improving the development dynamics of a wider geographical unit. They may include interventions in the public space and in public and municipal buildings, which will concern their modernization, the improvement of their functionality, bioclimatic planning, the energy upgrade, the promotion of the circular economy, the management of the natural resources, the adoption of “smart” applications and innovative technologies. The program will also include interventions in urban areas to implement prevention and adaptation measures to combat climate change and enhance urban resilience. Proposals that utilize “smart” applications will also be funded.

Overall, the beneficiaries will be funded to implement projects and actions with environmental benefit, innovative elements and developmental character, in order to become climate neutral. The projects to be funded must be included in one of the seven axes included in the call.

1. Emblematic renovations

Reconstruction of historic city centers, degraded areas, inactive industrial areas, etc. including outdoor communal space and building units

– Significant urban and environmental interventions in open public areas such as gentle movement networks for pedestrians and cyclists, large-scale pedestrian crossings of important roads, creation of linear road parks, etc.

-Repair, upgrade and reuse of buildings

– Restoration of views of large urban historic fronts in squares, major or major roads

-Extensive renovations of coastal fronts (public and / or municipal buildings, free public spaces, greenery, port facilities, recreation areas, etc.).

2. Restoration and reuse of building stock

– Interventions for the restoration or reuse and bioclimatic upgrade (eg green roofs, green walls, addition of greenhouses) of buildings of particular architectural interest

– Aesthetic and functional upgrade interventions or restorations of building facades or sets of building

– Interventions for restoration or reuse of inactive building stock using “smart applications” and innovative technologies to strengthen them, towards their durability.

3. Regeneration of areas with water routes

– Stream demarcation studies, projects for regeneration of littoral, riparian and lakeside areas

-Interventions for revealing muddy and boxed streams and rivers, restoration of the riverbed, regeneration of adjacent areas

– Interventions for the creation of a green and water networks, by upgrading the existing green spaces, creating new ones and connecting all with routes of gentle movement.

4. Total strategic interventions in residential areas

– Residential rehabilitation projects and creation of low emission zones

– Projects for the creation of areas with internal roads only for pedestrians and bicycles, areas with low speeds and light traffic, etc.

– Upgrading projects of common areas for entire neighborhoods, creation of a network of gentle routes (sidewalks, light roads, bicycle paths), utilization of inactive railway lines, etc.

5. Renovation of public space with bioclimatic elements and smart applications

– Projects to enhance sustainable mobility and accessibility of public space

– Bioclimatic design projects for outdoor common areas

-Utilization of inactive existing railway lines

– Urban equipment upgrade projects and use of “smart” elements of outdoor common areas

– Interventions for constructions and smart applications to improve the accessibility of outdoor spaces

– Projects for (reconstruction) and smart applications for upgrading MMM stops of public transport

– Projects for the installation of monitoring, measurement and management systems for parking, waste collection, energy consumption, rainfall, irrigation water, etc. the.

– Demarcation works of temporary parking in the open public space for the installation of charging points for electric vehicles, installation of utility stations, bicycles, etc.

– Creation of digital platforms for the service of the mild forms of movement, public transport, for the networks of recycling and sorting at the source, for the networks of reuse of objects and devices, etc.

6. Urban green development

-Creation and operation of information systems of large metropolitan parks

– Regeneration projects, renewal of large, medium and small green spaces, in combination with intelligent monitoring and management systems of energy and natural resources

-Pocket parks network creation projects

– Projects to create a digital map of green spaces and routes, and combined with an app application to serve the citizens and visitors of a city and improve the city branding

– Works for the creation of green roofs and green walls in municipal and public buildings

– Projects for replacement or enrichment of the fencing with low greenery, replacement of the hard coatings in the open parking lots of public and municipal buildings with greenery, creation of green school yards.

7. “Smart” systems and applications

– Installation projects of “smart” systems for upgrading the operation of infrastructure of the open public space

– Installation of sensors and meters for water consumption and savings in buildings

– Installation works of “gray” water utilization systems from public and municipal buildings for irrigation, street washing, car washing, etc.

– Works for the creation of infrastructure for the collection and reuse of rainwater

– Projects for the creation of a municipal digital platform for the management of materials and objects from renovations and demolition, second-hand devices, etc.