Czech Republic is preparing for zero-energy buildings. The conference will show the way

A revolution in construction that mandates nearly zero energy buildings by 2020 is approaching. The 10th International Conference on Passive Houses 2014 responds to this, bringing experts on passive and zero-energy houses from Belgium, Germany, and Austria to the Czech Republic. For the first time in the Czech Republic, a successful program from the Brussels regional government will be presented, which managed to implement the construction of passive standard buildings in the capital of Belgium in record time.

Czech experiences with the Green Savings subsidy program have shown that changes in construction are not possible without collaboration among politicians, academics, and practitioners. The Passive Houses 2014 conference, taking place on October 31 and November 1 in Brno, unites the interests of all groups. “The rich conference program is an ideal environment for discussing the challenges we will face in the near future,” said the conference director, Jan Bárta from the Passive House Center.

One of the main guests is co-author of Brussels' miraculous journey to mandatory passive energy standards in new building construction, Grégoire Clerfayt. The conference will also feature experts and prominent scientists from Germany, Austria, and other countries with experience in the path to energy-efficient construction. “We intentionally sought out experts who have experience in areas that also pose challenges for the Czech Republic. The conference will address challenges in the renovation of historical buildings, connections to climate change, and experiences with modern ventilation and heating systems in energy-efficient buildings,” outlines the topics of the conference Jan Bárta.

The conference will be held over two days. The first day will offer professional lectures, while the second day will focus on practical seminars with leading experts. A special meeting of foreign experts with Czech officials and politicians will also take place, discussing experiences with long-term subsidy programs supporting energy-efficient buildings.

More information about the conference can be found at http://konference.pasivnidomy.cz.

The conference is organized by the Passive House Center and the Institute for Energy Passive Houses.

The Passive House Center (CPD) is a non-profit organization established to support and promote the passive house standard and ensure the quality of passive houses. The members of the association include architects, designers, construction companies, manufacturers of building materials and components, and other professionals interested in passive houses. The CPD association thus represents the most comprehensive professional platform in the Czech Republic, actively stimulating, co-creating, and moderating expert discussions in the area of passive standard building construction among both expert and lay audiences, including the Czech political representation.