New green school infrastructure to transform education in Heraklion and Chania

The agreement was signed by the Governor of Crete, Stavros Arnaoutakis, in the presence of Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Christos Dimas, Chairman of Ktiriakes Ypodomes S.A. Timoleon Katsipou, and the company’s Chief Executive Officer Athanasios Giannaris.

The project concerns the construction of a modern educational campus in Voutes, Heraklion, with a total capacity of 780 students and a budget of €35.4 million. The new school will be developed on a 15.7-acre site granted by the University of Crete and will include a kindergarten, primary school, and lower secondary school, as well as libraries, laboratories, sports facilities, and multipurpose spaces.

According to the project design, the complex will serve as a model “green” school with a near-zero energy footprint and an A+ energy rating, incorporating advanced bioclimatic design principles and internationally recognized environmental certification standards.

At the same time, implementation is moving forward on another major educational infrastructure project in Crete involving the construction of new facilities for the General High School and Vocational High School of Kissamos, in Chania. The project, with a total budget of €19.5 million, will be financed through the Public Sector Loan Facility under Pillar III, “Green Schools.”

The new school complex will be built on a 9,636.95-square-meter site and will replace facilities that have been in operation since the 1980s. It will comprise two 12-class schools, modern laboratories, libraries, administrative offices, sports facilities, and a standalone multipurpose hall designed to serve both the school community and the wider local population.

Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Christos Dimas described the European School of Education project as one of significant educational and developmental importance for Crete, noting that it will become one of the most modern educational facilities in Greece. He also emphasized that the government continues to invest in new school infrastructure and the modernization of existing facilities through the “Marietta Giannakou” program.

For his part, Governor of Crete Stavros Arnaoutakis highlighted that the two new bioclimatic school campuses in Heraklion and Chania represent an investment in the future of the island and its younger generations, contributing to the upgrading of public education and strengthening local communities.

With a combined budget exceeding €54 million, the two projects form part of a broader strategy to develop modern, energy-efficient, and sustainable educational infrastructure across Crete.