SNFCC and the Stavros Niarchos Park are designed to be as self-sufficient as possible regarding water requirements: irrigation, non-potable water applications and the water used in the Canal. Specifically:
SNFCC’s energy efficiency initiatives result in a 40% energy reduction compared to what a similar building complex would consume without their implementation. All systems are designed to save energy, such as heating, air conditioning, lighting. Specifically:
A large canopy is suspended above the Greek National Opera building and the Lighthouse, 47m. above sea level. The canopy measures one hectare, roughly equal to an American football field, and weighs 4,500 tons, equivalent to as many as 160 tri-axle buses. The canopy’s section is reminiscent of an airplane wing, as, in an area as open and exposed as the Faliro Delta, wind can easily reach high speeds, and the canopy’s shape must not offer resistance. To arrive at the final form of the canopy, 750 panels were assembled.
Committed to sustainable mobility, SNFCC fosters a bicycle culture, encouraging the use of bicycles as a means of transport, exercise and recreation.
SNFCC has developed processes that encourage recycling by both staff and visitors. In 2017, SNFCC’s recycling programs were introduced, designed for separation of waste at source. Based on the its Waste Management Plan, 15 different recycling streams were installed. The public can recycle at the SNFCC paper, metal and plastic at several locations throughout the space, as well as glass, household batteries and clothing/fabrics at special containers installed.
SNFCC is the first large-scale cultural project to achieve LEED Platinum certification in Europe. Our certification was the result of visionary architecture and the integration of active and passive technologies that make SNFCC one of the world’s most environmentally sustainable buildings. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification covers six key areas at both the design and construction stages;
The SNFCC Environmental Unit has been set up to effectively promote environmental management. All SNFCC staff, however, contribute to ensuring the sustainability of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center. The SNFCC Environmental Unit’s members are: Dimitris Protopsaltou, SNFCC's General Director, representing SNFCC's Management Nikolaos Polemikos, Facilities Director, as Coordinator of the Environmental Management Unit George Liakeas, SNFCC’s Facilities Manager, as Deputy Coordinator of the Environmental Management Unit
Occupying 85% of SNFCC’s total area, Stavros Niarchos Park is home to a rich variety of flora, including olive trees, evergreen shrubs, carob trees, laurels, cypress trees, as well as an extensive selection of indigenous Greek aromatic plants.
