Transforming Kozani into a beautiful and climate neutral city

Implemented in collaboration with the Centre for Research & Technology Hellas (CERTH) and the Municipality of Kozani, the project makes use of existing good practices and complements them with the New European Bauhaus and EU Missions principles (Kozani stands among the 112 climate neutral cities supported by the European Commission).

The EYES HEARTS HANDS Urban Revolution (EHHUR) project benefits the community by improving the appearance of the city of Kozani and encouraging the energy transition in order to achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by 2030.

The Eyes Hearts Hands project received €4,9 million in funding under the HORIZON Europe programme. Throughout the project, which lasts from 2022 until early 2025, a key emphasis is placed on upgrading both energetically and aesthetically the buildings of the area and generating one of the few green spots near the centre of the city.

Two elementary schools in what we refer to as the ‘Lighthouse area’ have undergone upgrades, improving their building infrastructures both in terms of energy efficiency and aesthetics. This includes the installation of bio-based insulation, efficient frames, smart control and one autonomous solar charging station. Moreover, these schools have the opportunity to adopt an educational programme focused on energy saving, environmental protection, etc.

One of the most important successes of the “Eyes Hearts Hands” project was bringing together Kozani’s residents through various workshops and events. For example, a TEDx conference was organised for the first time in the city of Kozani, in collaboration with the University of Western Macedonia. TEDx events are locally organised events that bring people together to share their experiences. CluBE participated in this event while conducting a co-design workshop with university students and citizens of Kozani. The aim of the workshop was to co-create a vision for the future of the neighborhood with citizens and create an impact for decision-makers.

The next steps of “Eyes Hearts Hands” project include the upgrade and renovation of the city’s Cultural Centre to make it more energy-efficient, sustainable, environmentally friendly, more beautiful and accessible to all citizens. Finally, there are plans to aesthetically upgrade the park of Agios Dimitrios, which attracts numerous citizens of Kozani, by creating informational hotspots on the benefits of CO2 emissions reduction along with electric vehicle chargers and e-sharing services. This initiative aims to promote environmentally conscious behavior among citizens and is likely to inspire similar ones, stimulating the artistic upgrade of the city.

This best practice is extracted from our publication ‘Sustainable Regions in Action‘. Discover more best practices here!