Nikolaos Ioannis Dimtsas, Deputy CEO of Dimand, described the development of buildings with bioclimatic characteristics as a prerequisite for financing and investment criteria, speaking at the 7th Infrastructure and Transport Conference—ITC 2024, which takes place on 17 and 18 September at the Athens Concert Hall—International Conference Centre.

"The designation of a building as green starts with its design and involves elements such as the use of recyclable materials and orientation to light, resulting in reduced consumption and reduced thermal needs," Dimdas said.

Referring to Dimand's strategy, he said that since 2009 the company has taken the decision to invest in sustainable bioclimatic buildings that will be LEED certified at least at the Gold level, a standard that the market is also adopting.

"At one time, investors and property users rewarded the development of bioclimatic buildings in the form of a higher price or rent. Today, they simply don't bother with non-bioclimatic properties, as this feature is now a given, part of the ESG policy," he added.

As part of this strategy, Dimand is delivering the New Piraeus Courthouse in the summer of 2026, Dimand made known.

According to him, for the development of the project, which is financed by the Recovery Fund, high standards of viability and sustainability are met, which are not limited to the building but also apply to the public space, so that there is a positive social impact on the area where the property is developed.

"In this context, part of the development will be delivered as a donation to the Municipality of Piraeus, with the aim of creating a park that will boost the micro-economy in the Agios Dionysios area of Piraeus," said Dimand's Deputy CEO.

"We are not alone in these actions; we are giving the impetus, but there are other entities that are co-investing in them. The point of an urban regeneration is to bring back to life an area that has been abandoned and degraded," he concluded.

Regarding the financing of urban regeneration, he made it known that the Recovery Fund and the EBRD intend to continue to co-invest in such projects.