Environmentalist group Greenpeace called on the government yesterday to introduce incentives for better energy efficiency in buildings, in line with EU directives.

Greenpeace said that buildings consume one-third of the total energy in the country and account for 40 percent of carbon dioxide emissions.

“And yet there is no consistent and ambitious program for increased energy efficiency in buildings,” said the head of Greenpeace in Greece, Nikos Charalambidis. “The two most important EU directives: for energy efficiency of buildings and the promotion of a national action plan... are not being implemented.”

The environmentalists said they are leading by example and have moved ahead with minor changes to an old building that houses their offices in Athens in changes that have boosted energy efficiency by 50 percent.