The school buildings in the European Mediterranean context: environmental qualities and energy efficiency

TEENERGY SCHOOLS: The TEENERGY SCHOOLS project has successfully implemented a Multi-Issues Platform as an interactive Network for the gathering of a common data base and the dissemination of best practices regarding energy efficient retrofitting and new building of secondary schools in the Mediterranean climate context. The Project has operated from 2009 to 2011 in four countries of the Mediterranean ( Italy, Spain, Cyprus and Greece) and has pointed out the lack of energy saving benchmarks targeted to south Europe climatic conditions and the low energy efficiency of existing school buildings taking into account not only heating but also cooling needs. Based on the experimentation of energy saving techniques, integration of innovative materials and renewable energies, including passive cooling for reducing costs and consumption in the school buildings, a common Action Plan, Guidelines and 12 Pilot Projects have been developed in close collaboration between all territorial and scientific partners, the pupils of the schools throughout direct participation and the involvement of post graduate students during three international Workshops and a one week CAMPUS session.