Interest in low-energy houses is increasing despite the crisis

Prague - Demand for low-energy and passive houses has been rising since last year, despite the economic crisis and the decline in the real estate market. The reason is the increasing energy prices and the associated desire of people to save on these expenses in the long term. This is agreed upon by companies that specialize in the construction of energy-efficient buildings.
    "It is much more advantageous to invest more money in construction and have significantly lower operating costs for a lifetime. If energy experts are involved in the building's design, significant reductions in operating costs can be achieved with relatively small increases in investment costs," explained Jan Truxa from the company and consulting center EkoWATT.
    The higher interest in energy-efficient buildings is also confirmed by the owner of a specialized company, Eduard Babor. "Previously, there was demand for houses regardless of their energy intensity. Now we only record demand for low-energy or passive houses," stated Babor.
    An energy self-sufficient building has a photovoltaic power plant on its roof, which converts sunlight into electrical energy based on the so-called photovoltaic effect. This energy source generates electricity, which the house user then sells at a subsidized purchase price of 11.90 CZK/kWh, while for the energy consumed in the house, they pay 3.50 CZK/kWh. The purchase price is then guaranteed for 20 years based on a regulation from 2007.
    The program Green Savings, which began on April 22, is also focused on energy savings and the use of renewable sources in family and apartment buildings. It can involve individuals, homeowner associations, housing cooperatives, cities and municipalities, business entities, and possibly other legal entities. It is intended for the insulation of buildings, new construction in passive energy standards, and renewable sources for heating and hot water preparation. Over the next four years, it is set to offer subsidies to up to 250,000 households.