The idea
The investment project includes interventions in the central building of the municipality of Pella that hosts most of its administration and policy departments.
The radical energy upgrade of the building is proposed in order to be presented as a model for a public administration unit that promotes:
(a) energy efficiency in the climate zone of northern Greece
(b) the New European Bauhaus ‘ principles.
The New European Bauhaus
The New European Bauhaus is built on three core principles: sustainability, aesthetics, and inclusion. It calls for climate-friendly and resource-efficient solutions, beautiful and high-quality design, and socially inclusive processes that put people and communities at the center.
1. Sustainability
Building solutions that are regenerative, climate-neutral, energy-efficient, and respectful of the environment.
This includes:
· circular design and materials
· reduced emissions
· efficient use of resources
· biodiversity protection
· climate-resilient architecture
2. Aesthetics & Quality of Experience (Beauty)
Ensuring that the built environment is not only functional but also beautiful, inspiring, and culturally meaningful.
This includes:
· high-quality architecture and design
· pleasant, healthy, and human-centered spaces
· cultural and artistic value
· harmony between built and natural environments
3. Inclusion (Togetherness)
Creating spaces that are accessible, affordable, and open to all, promoting social equity and community participation.
This includes:
· co-creation with citizens
· social cohesion and accessibility
· affordable, high-quality living environments
· community engagement and shared ownership.
More information can be found here.
Objectives
The main objectives to be achieved with its implementation are:
- Achieve Near-Zero Energy Building (nZEB) Standards: Retrofit the central municipal building to significantly reduce energy consumption and integrate renewable energy solutions, ensuring compliance with nZEB performance levels.
- Demonstrate Leadership in Energy Efficiency: Establish the building as a benchmark for energy-efficient public administration facilities in the climate zone of northern Greece.
- Apply the New European Bauhaus Initiative principles in energy efficiency: Apply solutions that are not only sustainable, but also inclusive and beautiful.
- Enhance Operational Efficiency: Improve working conditions for employees and visitors by optimizing indoor climate, lighting, and energy systems.
- Promote Public Awareness: Showcase the building as a model project to inspire energy-efficient retrofitting in public and private sectors across the region.
Key stakeholders
The project involves several key stakeholders with different needs and expectations.
1. Municipal Staff, as the primary beneficiaries of improved energy efficiency, expect better working conditions, healthier indoor environments, and higher operational efficiency within municipal buildings.
2. Local Businesses operating in energy-efficient technologies look for new opportunities to offer services, expand partnerships, and showcase their technical expertise through the project.
3. Energy Experts in nZEB, energy integration, and New European Bauhaus (NEB) anticipate active participation in a high-visibility pilot project that highlights innovative design and technical excellence.
4. The Local Community and Civil Society Groups engaged in sustainability initiatives expect transparency, measurable long-term environmental benefits, and inclusive participation in the project’s outcomes.
5. Other Cities and Mayors in the region seek practical tools, replicable methodologies, and guidance that will help them adopt similar energy-efficiency measures in their own public buildings.
6. The NEB Community expects the project to serve as a visible and inspiring example of NEB principles in action, combining sustainability, aesthetics, and social inclusion.
Methodology
The proposed energy upgrade of the Pella Municipality’s central building is designed not only as a technical intervention, but as a holistic transformation fully aligned with the New European Bauhaus (NEB) vision, which connects sustainability, aesthetics, and social inclusion. The project aspires to demonstrate how public administration spaces can become lighthouses of a new cultural approach to the built environment, where environmental performance, human experience, and community values converge.
1. Sustainability as a core design driver
The renovation incorporates advanced energy-efficient systems, passive design strategies, and climate-responsive architecture that significantly reduce the building’s carbon footprint. Beyond technical performance, sustainability is expressed as a long-term commitment to resource conservation, including optimized thermal comfort, improved indoor air quality, circularity in material selection, and reduced operational energy. This reflects the NEB ambition to transform public buildings into environmentally responsible and future-ready infrastructures
2. Aesthetics and quality of experience
The project goes beyond functionality, enhancing the building’s visual identity and the everyday experience of citizens and staff. Architectural upgrades aim to create bright, welcoming, and well-designed spaces that promote wellbeing, creativity, and productivity. Through thoughtful design elements—natural lighting, improved spatial flow, biophilic cues, and carefully selected materials—the building becomes a positive, inspiring environment, in line with NEB’s principle that beauty and design quality are essential components of sustainability.
3. Social inclusion and openness
The renovated building seeks to embody a sense of belonging, accessibility, and transparency, reinforcing the connection between the Municipality and its citizens. Public spaces within the building can become more open, usable, and socially engaging, while energy data, sustainability metrics, and design processes are communicated openly to foster community trust. The project reinforces the NEB goal of creating public infrastructure that is people-centered, democratic, and inclusive, offering equitable access to high-quality, healthy environments for employees, visitors, and vulnerable groups.