Background information

The aim of the programme is to improve the energy efficiency and comfort conditions of public-school buildings in Cyprus contributing to the achievement of Cyprus National and European Energy and Climate Targets. The programme is funded through the Cohesion Policy Programme Thaleia 2021 – 2027, the European PDA programme (Project Development Assistance) and the Horizon 2020 programme ‘PEDIA’.

Content of measure

In May 2024 and after the pilot implementation of the energy upgrading of 5 school buildings, the Council of Ministers decided the continuation of the project with the energy upgrading of another 20 existing school buildings, of all levels of education. The implementation of the project is based on the model for assessing the energy upgrade needs of school building in Cyprus, which has been developed within the frame of the EU Horizon programme entitled ‘PEDIA’, aiming to convert these 25 school buildings into Nearly Zero Energy Buildings.

The project is expected to facilitate the transition from fragmented, temporary, and isolated solutions to long-term holistic and permanent approaches, where the schools themselves, in addition to being zero-energy buildings, will become an integral part of the educational and social functions of the school.

The interventions that are implemented for the upgrading of school buildings include the following actions, which comply with the requirements of the national legislation regarding the energy performance of buildings:

• Installation of photovoltaic systems
• Thermal insulation of roofs and walls
• Replacement of windows
• Replacement of lighting with LED lamps
• Replacement of ventilation systems
• Planting

Within this frame, the implementation agency, the Cyprus Energy Agency, is launching an open tender for the energy upgrading of one school at a time, from the list of the selected schools that need energy upgrading.

Use of measure

The total budget of the programme is €20 million for the period March 2023 – December 2027. Up to September 2024, the energy upgrading of 5 schools have been completed and two new contracts have been signed for the upgrading of another 5 schools, with a budget of €2.3 million.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	European Funds National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement as case not in social partner domain	No involvement as case not in social partner domain
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

Trade unions and employers’ organisations were not involved at any stage of the designing of the Scheme. The designing was performed by the Cyprus Energy Agency. The Cyprus Energy Agency is also responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the Scheme in collaboration of the technical services of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth and school boards.

Views and reactions

No particular reactions from social partners have been recorded on the issue.

Sources

• 04 August 2025: Προκήρυξη σύμβασης ή σύμβασης παραχώρησης — τυποποιημένο καθεστώ (www.eprocurement.gov.cy)