Holice is building a new elementary art school in passive standard without subsidies

Holice (Pardubicko) - The Town Hall in Holice, Pardubice, is constructing a primary art school to passive standard. The educational facility will offer new classrooms for visual arts, music, and dance, as well as a concert and community hall. The city will spend 52 million crowns for the building, which will be more operationally efficient. Passive buildings for public purposes are still not widely constructed in the country. ČTK was informed of this today by Deputy Mayor Vítězslav Vondrouš (ODS).
    "As far as I know, one kindergarten is being renovated to passive standard in Prague. Near Brno, a home for seniors is being built. Our primary art school will likely be the first in the Republic," said Vondrouš.
    According to the deputy mayor, the city will save up to 60 percent on operational costs for the building compared to if it were building a conventional structure. Conversely, construction work and school equipment will not be more expensive than for other buildings. The city has so far completed the rough construction and hopes to start the school year next September.
    "In the current building of the art school, there used to be a district office. Only music is taught here; dance and visual arts are scattered throughout the city, and we also have detached workplaces in surrounding municipalities. The number of children is also growing. Currently, 500 children attend the school, and after the new school is completed, there will be 100 to 200 more," said Vondrouš.
    On the ground floor of the building, there will be classrooms for individual and group music instruction, a soundproof classroom for percussion instruments, and a chamber hall for 50 spectators, which will have the parameters of an acoustic studio. On the upper floors, facilities for students of visual and dance disciplines will be created, including a smaller dance hall. Additionally, a hall for 250 people is being planned on the same floor. It will host graduate concerts, as well as seminars and training sessions.
    The primary art school will have a built-up area of 600 m² and a floor area of 2000 m². The investment is among the largest in the modern history of the city. The town hall has taken a loan of 28 million crowns, while the rest will be covered by its budget. The deputy mayor regrets that there are no grants available for this type of construction.
    "It's sad that the state comes up with various subsidies, but there are no grant titles for buildings to passive standards," added Vondrouš.