In Sidera, Kozani, near the new Perasma solar cluster, we completed the renovation of the old school of the village, which is now a cultural meeting center of the local community.
As part of our social activities and initiatives in the wider area of construction of our company's new "Perasma" Solar Cluster we completed the renovation of the old historic school building, in the village of Sidera, Kozani. The need for renovation existed before and after dialogue with the local community it was implemented by external partners of our company and was completed in July.
A historic building
The old school building of the village was constructed around 1930 and functioned as an educational center for many years, offering knowledge to the children of the village and being a reference point for the cultural heritage of the area. Due to the limited number of students who now live in Sideras, the operation of the school was suspended and today, the building hosts the cultural center of the village as well as all the activities of the community.
In recent decades, the condition of the building has been poor, with significant damage to its exterior, due to lack of proper maintenance work on the building. Thus, we designed an initiative that aimed at the complete renovation of the façade of the building, as well as the surrounding area.
Respecting tradition
The original façade of the building was made of stone, but it was covered with plaster, losing its beautiful and traditional appearance. At the same time, natural wear and tear had altered its characteristics over the years. So, in collaboration with the local community, we decided to highlight the original architecture of the building, with respect to the historical construction and the tradition of stonework. The work included, among other things, the removal of coatings and plasters, the grinding of stone and joints, as well as the construction of a system so that groundwater and moisture do not cause damage to external surfaces. At the same time, hidden lighting was installed which highlights the stone even better.
We delivered to the local community the completed project, which now highlights the historical value of the building and reinforces its importance as a center of all activities in Sidera. Recently, the courtyard of the renovated building hosted the festival of Prophet Elias, organized by the Cultural Educational & Naturalist Association of Sideras "The Refugees", with the participation of hundreds of residents of the village and the wider region.
Creating value
The Sidera project confirms our commitment to actions that benefit society and local communities in the Kozani region. These multifaceted actions include our support for activities in the area, the program to identify energy needs in Mavrodendri, Kozani, and the construction of the "Kivotos" that creatively utilized hundreds of wooden pallets from the Perasma cluster to create a wooden structure for disabled children.
Our Creating Shared Value (CSV) initiatives are fully aligned with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, with this action being part of Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
