Course Content
Introduction
Here you can get detailed information about the good practice example from Thessaloniki, Greece: Pavlos Melas Municipality Park
0/2
Get to Know the Good Practice Example: Pavlos Melas Metropolitan Park 🏞️
00:00
New European Bauhaus Integration
🏛️ Module 1: Political Dimension
In this module you'll understand the political dimension of creating a large-scale urban park creation and heritage preservation through Pavlos Melas Example. The concepts you will learn are: Phased Urban Development, PPP Models, and Policy Alignment
0/1
Key Political Concepts
💼 Module 2: Economic Dimension
In this module you'll understand the economic dimension of creating a large-scale urban park creation and heritage preservation through Pavlos Melas Example. The concepts you will learn are: Sustainable Procurement, Circular Economy (CE), and Sustainability Assessment Tools
0/1
Key Economic Concepts
🎓 Module 3: Educational Dimension
In this module you'll understand the educational dimension of creating a large-scale urban park creation and heritage preservation through Pavlos Melas Example. You will learn about the concept of Living Labs and how can you create one in the context of green building transformation
0/1
Key Educational Concepts
🫱🏽‍🫲🏼 Module 4: Social Dimension
In this module you'll understand the social dimension of creating a large-scale urban park creation and heritage preservation through Pavlos Melas Example. You will learn about the concept of Stakeholder Engagement and Community Well-Being and learn about how to create a participatory design process step by step.
0/1
Key Social Concepts
🌍 Module 5: Environmental Dimension
In this module you'll understand the environmental dimension of creating a large-scale urban park creation through Pavlos Melas Example. You will learn about the strategies for creating climate-resilient buildings and adapting existing buildings to be climate responsive. This module will conclude with Key Principles for Adaptive Reuse.
0/1
Key Environmental Concepts
Asssesment
Please review the Final Exam Instructions for detailed expectations.
0/1
Final Exam
Conclusion + References
0/1
References
GP3: Reclaiming Urban Spaces Pavlos Melas Park in Greece

🌍 Module 5: Environmental Dimension

The Environmental Dimension of Pavlos Melas Municipality Park

How does urban regeneration, through ecological restoration and adaptive reuse, build climate resilience and promote sustainable development in our cities?

Creating Climate-Resilient Buildings: Key Concepts

Buildings and the construction sector account for 32% of global energy consumption and 34% of carbon dioxide emissions, making them central to both the climate crisis and its solution (Source: International Energy Agency (IEA), Buildings Energy System; UNEP Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2024-2025).

Therefore buildings must evolve to become both climate-resilient, so that it will be able to withstand climate impacts; and climate-responsive so that it can reduce environmental harm.

This module explores two complementary approaches: designing climate resilient buildings and breathing new life into existing structures through adaptive reuse.

1. Climate-Resilient Buildings

Definition:

Climate-resilient buildings are structures that incorporate design strategies to reduce vulnerability to climate change impacts, such as extreme weather events, rising temperatures, and rise of the sea-level (Source: SuPeRBE, 2024).

 

Why Climate-Resilient Buildings Matter:

  • Urgency for Climate-Crises Matters: With buildings responsible for over one-third of global emissions, transformation of this the construction sector is essential to meet targets of the Paris which aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
  • Adaptation Necessity: Climate-resilient design protects occupants from extreme weather events, heat, flooding, and other climate disasters while maintaining functionality and safety.
  • Long-term Impact: Buildings have lifespans of 50-100 years; design decisions made today lock in energy consumption and emissions patterns for decades to come.
  • Co-benefits: Climate-resilient buildings provide improved indoor air quality, thermal comfort, reduced energy costs, and enhanced occupant health and well-being. (Source: Arif, n.d)

2. Adaptive Reuse

Definition:

Adaptive reuse is the “process of reusing an existing building for a purpose other than which it was originally designed” (Source: Hussein & Albesi, 2025)

Why Adaptive Reuse is Critical for Climate Action:

  • Embodied Carbon Savings: Adaptive reuse saves the embodied carbon already present in existing structures. This strategy can prevent carbon emissions that would be created by a new building (Source: AIA & NTHP, 2024).Adaptive reuse minimizes the loads in the lndfills and reduces demand for new building materials.
  • Cultural and Historical Preservation: Adaptive reuse maintains community character, preserves architectural heritage, and honors the cultural significance of existing structures.
  • Urban Revitalization: Transforming vacant or underused buildings can increase neighborhood regeneration, create economic opportunities, and enhance urban vitality.
  • Faster Implementation: Adaptive reuse projects often have shorter timelines than new construction, allowing communities to respond more quickly to changing needs while reducing overall project costs.
  • Circular Economy Principles: Adaptive Reuse aligns with circular economy by extending building lifecycles, maximizing resource efficiency, and minimizing waste throughout the construction value chain.

Lessons in Effective Environmental Model From Pavlos Melas Municipality Park

Using the systematic framework based on the Quintuple Helix Model, let’s explore how the Pavlos Melas project teaches valuable lessons for the environmental sector.

1) Sustainable Building Practices

The phased rehabilitation approach (which we also explored in the economic dimension) of building practices minimizes waste while preserving the embodied energy already invested in existing structures, which is an important part of reducing construction’s environmental impact.

2) Carbon Reduction

Carbon reduction strategies work on multiple levels: adaptive reuse eliminates demolition waste while modern technology integration improves energy efficiency. The expanded green areas of the park reduce CO2 emission, while increased public transportation network reduce transportation needs by car.

3) Climate Resilience

In Pavlos Melas Municipality Park, climate resilience strategies through native species restoration and expanded green spaces improve ecological health.

4) Sustainable Mobility

Sustainable mobility leverages the park’s central location near transport nodes. The mixed-use planning reduces trip generation while bike lanes and transit connections ensure car-free accessibility.

5) Environmental Education

The project creates environmental education opportunities that amplify impact beyond environmental regeneration. By combining museums with environmental centers, it connects heritage preservation with modern environmental challenges, inspiring both communities and professionals.

Congratulations on completing all modules! Let’s review what we’ve learned in this course with the self-quiz!

Previous
Next