Abstract
An increase in energy efficiency and a reduction of carbon emissions in buildings are prerequisites for mitigating climate change. Public buildings should be energy-refurbished for minimizing their energy use, complying with EU legislation and directives. The creation of net zero carbon emissions prisons in Crete, Greece with reference to the agricultural prison of Agia has been examined. The prison’s capacity is 178 offenders and the annual energy consumption has been estimated at 4000 KWh/prisoner. The use of a solar thermal system for hot water production and a solar-PV system for electricity generation has been proposed for generating the energy required in the prison. Two scenarios have been examined. In the first, the two solar energy systems would generate all the required energy in the prison, while in the second, the two solar energy systems would generate 50% of the annual required energy in the prison, and the rest would be produced by fossil fuels. A tree plantation, either with olive trees or with Eucalyptus trees, would be created for offsetting the carbon emissions due to fossil fuels used in the prison. The surface of the flat plate solar collectors in the solar thermal system has been estimated at 113.9 M2 to 227.8 M2 while its cost is at 34,170€ to 68,340€. The nominal power of the solar-PV system has been estimated at 151.9 KWp to 303.8 KWp while its cost is at 182,280€ to 364,560€. The area of the tree plantation sequestrating 50% of the current CO2 emissions due to fossil fuels use in the prison has been estimated at 14.74 ha for olive trees and at 5.9 ha for Eucalyptus trees. The results indicated that the energy refurbishment in Agia’s agricultural prison in Crete, Greece, in order to zero its annual net carbon emissions, is feasible.
Highlights
The global threat of climate change requires the change in the fossil fuels used during the last two hundred years and the transition towards benign renewable energy resources
The area of the tree plantation sequestrating 50% of the current CO2 emissions due to fossil fuels use in the prison has been estimated at 14.74 ha for olive trees and at 5.9 ha for Eucalyptus trees
The results indicated that the energy refurbishment in Agia’s agricultural prison in Crete, Greece, in order to zero its annual net carbon emissions, is feasible
Summary
The global threat of climate change requires the change in the fossil fuels used during the last two hundred years and the transition towards benign renewable energy resources. Public buildings consume large amounts of energy; among them are included prisons and correction buildings. Current European and Greek legislation obligates the energy renovation of prison buildings and their transformation towards nearly zero-energy buildings. Reports on the use of sustainable energies in prisons are limited so far while studies regarding the reduction of energy consumption and carbon emissions in Greek prisons are lacking. Available renewable energies could be used for that, resulting in minimizing or zeroing the prison’s carbon footprint due to energy use. Energy refurbishment of public buildings like hospitals, schools and prisons reducing their energy consumption and carbon emissions is important and compulsory in order to improve their energy efficiency and to mitigate climate change complying with the global, European and national targets and goals set
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