Low-energy houses are being constructed too infrequently in the Czech Republic, according to experts

Prague - According to experts, there are few low-energy and so-called passive houses being built. In the Czech Republic, architect Josef Smola estimates that there are around a thousand of them. Only a fraction to one percent of future builders want to construct energy-efficient homes, said David Černík, director of Maxima Reality, to ČTK. People are deterred by the higher price of the house and the more complex construction process.
According to Jakub Sedmihradský from Lexxus, demand for low-energy houses is still low. "The supply in this segment mirrors the demand," Sedmihradský stated. Smola explains this by the low level of awareness among builders and the fact that for most of them, the acquisition costs are the most important, while operational expenses do not interest them much.
A low-energy house is about ten percent more expensive than a traditional one, according to Smola. However, he claims that the difference in acquisition price will pay off in ten to twelve years due to energy savings.
According to Petr Illetšek, director of the real estate agency AAABYTY.cz, demand is actually beginning to rise. He notes that it is becoming common for customers purchasing land to ask agents for tips on companies that build these properties. "Recently, there has been an increase in clients who are building an energy-efficient low-energy or passive house for retirement. They suspect that in the last third of their life, energy bills will be financially unbearable for them," Smola stated in the book "Building a Family Home Step by Step."
"For now, it is rather a rarity for technical visionaries and conscious ecological builders," Černík said. According to him, clients more often request dormers on the roof, arcades at the entrance, island kitchens, hydromassage bathtubs, or heated double garages with remote control for all doors, which is the exact opposite of low-energy living.
According to Michaela Císařová from Home Sweet Home, there is a prevailing distrust towards energy-efficient housing, perhaps even indifference. "I definitely think that today it is harder and more expensive to buy a building plot and construct a house on it than to buy a finished house with land from a developer," Císařová said.
"Many companies offer so-called low-energy or passive houses on the domestic market, where the only distinguishing feature is a higher level of insulation. Otherwise, they are just ordinary catalog homes wrapped in a thicker layer of insulation," Smola stated. However, he believes this is not enough.
A low-energy house should be located on the northern or eastern part of the plot to ensure that the southern facade is accessible to solar gains. The shape of the house should be simple, without unnecessary protrusions. Living rooms are oriented towards sunny sides, while the entrance and storage spaces are on the opposite side. The so-called wet areas are stacked vertically. The ratio of windows to floor area should be 1:6. The house must also have sufficient thermal insulation.
A passive house places even higher demands on low energy consumption. The air is warmed through forced ventilation with heat recovery from the exhaust air. Heat generated by cooking, for instance, is utilized. In low outdoor temperatures, a small device for additional heating is used. The operational costs of the house are then about a quarter of those of a traditional house. There are also fewer microorganisms, viruses, mold, and pollen in them.
While low-energy houses are rather exceptional in the Czech Republic, in the federal state of Upper Austria, starting from January 1 of next year, it will not be possible to build any new building that is not low-energy.