The five initial suitors for the new courthouses of Crete are also passing to the second phase of the PPP tender by decision of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. 

In more detail, these are as follows:

• Avax
• GEK Terna 
• Aktor Concessions
• Metlen
• Intrakat (now Aktor Group) 

THE PROJECTS

The PPP tender will include the reconstruction of the courthouse in Rethymno and the construction of a new courthouse in Heraklion. It provides for: 

• the construction of a new bioclimatic courthouse in Heraklion
• the reconstruction of the Rethymnon courthouse in Crete
• the maintenance and management of these two public buildings
• the landscaping of the surrounding area of the above buildings 
• The cost is €86.85 million. 
• the duration of the PPP contract is 30 years and the first 3 years are for the construction period 
• the completion of the tender is estimated to be possible in 2025

THE NEW BUILDINGS 

In Heraklion the construction of the new Courthouse is planned east of the city centre, near the port, between the city and the airport, and close to the old walls, at the junction of Ikaros, Ethnikis Antistaseos and Eleftherios Venizelos (coastal) avenues 

In Rethymno, the reconstruction of the existing Courthouse is planned in order to solve the chronic problems of the building, which was erected in 1981 and has been in operation for over 40 years. The reconstruction will include rehabilitation works, appropriate internal arrangements to remedy problems related to the use of the building, interventions in the external shell and in the interior of the building to remedy problems related to its age, poor maintenance and lack of modernisation and upgrading of the entire facilities

BIO-CLIMATE DESIGN PRINCIPLES

The aim is for the buildings to comply with the principles of bioclimatic design, to have zero energy consumption, zero environmental impact and zero energy consumption. At the same time, it will offer increased security for staff and visitors in the event of any crisis or threat, flexibility in future internal arrangements, and full accessibility for people with disabilities. 

BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING

At all times during the contract, the Private Partnership Entity must use Building Information Modeling (BIM). This includes both the design/construction/reconstruction phase and the operation, maintenance, and management phase of the Courthouse Megaron. BIM is a digital representation of the physical and operational characteristics of the courthouse buildings. It will be a common source of data and knowledge about the courthouses, making decisions about them more reliable over their lifetime.