Exoikonomo and insulation 2026: what the works approvals show
From January to 23 October 2026, 43,049 small-scale works approvals were issued for external insulation, against 25,697 in the same period of 2025. The peak came from March to July, the period when Exoikonomo projects were being carried out.
What the acts show
To install external insulation (external wall insulation, known in Greek as "thermoprosopsi") on an existing building, a Small-Scale Building Works Approval is needed, with the work "(ith) External thermal insulation and passive solar systems" (the letters in brackets are the Greek-alphabet code of the work in the catalogue, written here in Latin letters). The approvals are posted by the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE) on Diavgeia, which is why we can count them.
- 43,049 approvals with external insulation in 2026 (to 23 October), against 25,697 in the same period of 2025: +68%.
- Insulation is now the most frequent small-scale work: it is included in 43% of the 2026 approvals.
By month
| Month | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| January | 1,583 | 2,173 |
| February | 1,973 | 2,914 |
| March | 2,059 | 5,481 |
| April | 2,464 | 6,809 |
| May | 3,418 | 5,963 |
| June | 2,909 | 7,925 |
| July | 3,316 | 6,218 |
| August | 2,149 | 1,369 |
| September | 3,741 | 2,278 |
| October | 2,662 | 1,919 (to 23 October) |
| November | 2,461 | – |
| December | 2,105 | – |
Small-scale works approvals that include thermal insulation or insulation works (codes ith and ii; green roofs are very few).
The picture is clear: from March to July 2026 the approvals were almost double to almost triple last year's (1.7 to 2.8 times). From August they fell below last year's levels.
Where: Thessaly and the north lead
| Municipality | 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Larissa | 2,160 | 623 |
| Trikala | 1,525 | 420 |
| Volos | 1,446 | 422 |
| Ioannina | 1,361 | 768 |
| Karditsa | 1,178 | 458 |
| Kastoria | 977 | 298 |
| Eordaia | 946 | 268 |
| Katerini | 738 | 253 |
| Lamia | 722 | 239 |
| Patras | 709 | 722 |
| Thessaloniki | 701 | 721 |
| Alexandroupoli | 678 | 403 |
The rise is not uniform. In Larissa, Trikala, Volos, Eordaia and Kastoria the approvals more than tripled; in Katerini and Lamia they roughly tripled and in Karditsa they more than doubled. In Patras and Thessaloniki, by contrast, they stayed almost the same. Only 10% of the 2026 insulation approvals are in Attica.
The link with Exoikonomo
The acts do not say whether a work is financed by a programme. The coincidence in time, however, is strong:
- The latest cycle of Exoikonomo (the subsidy programme for home energy upgrades) required upgrading the home by three energy categories. It received more than 55,000 applications and its budget exceeded €1 billion, with completion by June 2026, as the Secretary General for Energy reported in January 2026 (CNN Greece). External insulation is one of the most common interventions for such an upgrade.
- In July 2026 the Ministry of Environment and Energy (YPEN) set a new completion deadline of 30 November 2026 for approved interventions under the Exoikonomo 2021, 2023 and 2025 programmes and the "Renovate for Young People" programme, but only for specific categories of beneficiaries (Empros).
- Exoikonomo 2025 gave an increased subsidy to those affected in Thessaly (LiFO), which fits with the concentration of works there. We cannot prove it from the acts, however.
The fall since August fits with the end of that cycle. A new Exoikonomo for vulnerable households, with funds from the Social Climate Fund, has been announced in advance for the last quarter of 2026 (CNN Greece). Until its guide is issued, amounts and dates are estimates. You will find the official information at YPEN.
What it means for external-insulation crews and suppliers
- The market for subsidised renovations moves in waves. After a very strong first half, autumn 2026 is quieter. The next wave will come with the new programme, and will mainly concern low-income households.
- New apartment buildings are a steady market. Every new apartment building needs thermal insulation of the building envelope, regardless of subsidies. In 2026, 908 new apartment buildings received a permit, about 100 a month.
- Geography matters. If you work in Thessaly or Western Macedonia, 2026 was an excellent year. It is worth looking at where demand is moving now, municipality by municipality.
Detailed figures by month and municipality for insulation are in the article external wall insulation and insulation works 2026. For windows and doors, which are also subsidised under Exoikonomo, see the article on windows, doors and facades.
How we count
We count the Small-Scale Building Works Approvals (Law 4759/2020) that TEE posts on Diavgeia and that include works (ith) or (ii) of the standardised catalogue (we read the form of all approvals of the period). Data to 23 October 2026. An approval does not mean the work was completed, nor that it is subsidised. We are not affiliated with Exoikonomo; for terms and deadlines only what YPEN announces applies.