Settlements in Evrytania, Kozani, Florina, Imathia, Blond and Kastoria they have the biggest lead to join the new “Save” announced last week. The reason is that the inclusion criteria are no longer (as in the previous programs) the age of construction and the energy class of the property, the cost of the interventions in terms of energy savings achieved and the income of the household, but the weather conditions that prevail in the area: the colder the area where the property is located – and correspondingly the greater the heating needs – the more likely it is to join the program.

The Program Guide includes the ranking of each settlement in the country separately, in terms of the criterion of “degree days” based on which the applications will be ranked. The maximum score is 1.617221815 and is applied to Velouchi of Evrytania. They are followed by the local community of Polymylos in Kozani, Vigla in Florina, Vermio, the Forest Village of Xanthi, Pigadia in Naoussa, Pisoderi in Prespes, Nea Kotylis in Kastoria, Livaditis in Xanthi, Perikopi Amyntaiou etc.

On the other hand, the settlement with the lowest score is Tragousa islet of the Municipality of Halki and dozens of settlements follow in the South Aegean, Crete, the Dodecanese.

The complete list of settlements with the corresponding rating can be found in appendix IX of the Guide (https://exoikonomo2025.gov.gr/odegos).

As defined in the Guide:

After the completion of the submission of applications, based on the score of the grade-day criterion, which determines the overall score of the application, as it is obtained based on the data submitted to the information system, the following are drawn up:

Ranking tables of submitted proposals in descending order of grading whose grant is included in the available budget of the Program (“principally eligible” applications).

Ranking tables of proposals in descending order of grading of the remaining submitted applications whose grant is not included in the available budget of the Program (“runner-up” applications).

Household income is not an inclusion criterion but regulates the amount of aid, which ranges from 50 to 100%.

A separate budget is also provided for special categories of citizens: from the 396 million, which is the total net budget, 27.3 million will be allocated to families with disabled members, 91.2 million to the victims of Thessaly and the earthquake victims of Arkalochori and Samos and 18.2 million in families with at least three dependent children.

The proposal for an energy upgrade should ensure the upgrade of the residence by at least three energy categories, in relation to the existing one and at least in the B category when it comes to a radical renovation. Eligible interventions are replacement of frames, installation/upgrade of thermal insulation, upgrade of heating/cooling system, domestic hot water system using Renewable Energy Sources, installation of a smart management system (smart home), which contributes to energy and battery savings. Applications are due by March 20.