Energy Efficiency Becomes Key to Future of Greece’s Tourism Sector
Greece’s tourism sector is at a turning point as it slowly moves away from mass tourism towards a new, more sustainable model. This shift is driven by the realities of the climate and energy crises and is supported by key insights from the country’s academic and industry manpower.
This more sustainable and green transition is good for the country’s ever more fragile environment, but also a major economic opportunity. Dr Vasilis Ntouros, a physicist with the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens’ Building Environmental Research Group, told AMNA (Athens-Macedonian news agency) recently that targeted upgrades can slash the energy consumption of Greek hotels by up to a staggering 72%. He pointed out that while the average hotel currently consumes 430 kilowatt-hours per square meter annually, upgrades could drop that number below 120 kilowatt-hours.
What Greek hotels can do to improve their energy consumption
These improvements include better building insulation, modern heating and cooling systems and smart energy management, among other smaller or bigger upgrades. Once implemented, they could save a hotel approximately €30 per square metre each year, making a significant impact on large properties.
Ntouros also highlighted that a large portion of the carbon footprint of Greek hotels comes from cooling due to the country’s growing average temperatures and lighting. While lighting can be made more efficient with simple and affordable changes like LED bulbs and motion sensors, he stressed that cooling and heating require more structural interventions, as they account for nearly 50% of a building’s annual energy use.
The industry is already responding to this, making Greece’s hospitality sector more open to energy upgrades. According to Konstantinos Marinakos, Vice President of the Hellenic Federation of Hoteliers, in 2024, the hotel sector invested over €1 billion ($1.16 billion), with 20% of that total specifically being spent on energy-efficiency projects like solar panels and heat pumps. This focus shows that being competitive in the global market now means being green.
However, the path to full sustainability is still a long one. Only 32% of Greek hotels have any system for monitoring water usage, and a mere one quarter have implemented robust recycling programmes. These issues are particularly important on the Greek islands, where resources are scarce and the climate crisis puts further pressure on their local communities.
To address these challenges, the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, the country’s Ministry of Tourism and the Technical Chamber of Greece are developing a new hotel classification system. This innovative system will be based on a hotel’s environmental performance, designed to give businesses a clear, unambiguous roadmap for a more environmentally friendly solution.
The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, under the European project ProGETonE, is conducting a radical renovation of its student dormitory in an effort to reduce the building’s energy consumption to almost zero while also providing a model for how existing accommodations can be made greener, safe and modern.
Business Wire
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