The Energy Poverty Alleviation Office was inaugurated by the Mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas, at the Serafio Cultural and Sports Center, and is expected to become an important support hub for the city’s energy-vulnerable households.
The Mayor of Athens stated:
“Today, we are inaugurating the Energy Poverty Alleviation Office with 60 certified associates who will go door to door, identify vulnerable households, and propose actions and solutions. They will also welcome residents here at the office and offer them a range of benefits and financial programs. At the same time, they will provide a card with a barcode and the holder’s name, through which beneficiaries will receive a series of discounts at businesses. We have also simultaneously established the Athens Energy Alliance, which includes eight neighboring municipalities as well as municipalities from other regions across Greece. Our goal is to create energy communities, produce clean electricity and offer it at low or zero cost to our most vulnerable fellow citizens. Together, we are turning a new page for Athens and accelerating the path toward climate neutrality and social justice.”
On his part, Ioannis Georgizas, CEO of Develop Athens, outlined the three ways energy-vulnerable citizens of Athens can contact the Energy Poverty Alleviation Office:
“To receive services, citizens can either call the Citizens’ Helpline 1595 to schedule an appointment with an energy advisor, send an email to gaef@developathens.gr, or visit the Office that was created specifically for this purpose at the Serafio Complex of the City of Athens. With the support of the National Technical University of Athens and the Sustainable City Network, of which the City of Athens is a member, we have been able to certify, according to EU standards, which households are considered energy-vulnerable, taking into account factors such as financial capacity, building characteristics, and social criteria.”
More than 60 employees of the City of Athens have been trained and certified as Energy Advisors and Mentors. Through on-site visits, these certified professionals help households understand their energy consumption costs and propose ways to reduce expenses through small-scale interventions. Specifically, they are responsible for:
- Assessing and identifying energy-vulnerable households.
- Informing residents about the benefits of energy efficiency upgrades.
- Completing a Google Form with the necessary information (energy consumption, property details,etc.) to generate energy upgrade recommendations and technical advice from the Office.
- Scheduling in-person appointments and meetings with citizens.
Contact:
Citizens’ Helpline: 1595
Email: gaef@developathens.gr