The Czech Ministry of the Environment (Ministerstvo životního prostředí ČR) decided last week to provide funding totalling 320.8 million crowns for the renovation of the administrative area of the Emauzy II site, known as the Prague Cubes. This building complex houses the Institute for Planning and Development (IPR) of the capital city of Prague and the Centre for Architecture and Urban Planning (CAMP).
The buildings in the Emauzy area, designed by the renowned architect Karel Prager, are currently in poor structural condition. However, the City of Prague, in collaboration with the Institute for Planning and Development (IPR), has secured a significant source of funding for the necessary renovation work. On 24 March 2025, the Czech Ministry of the Environment decided to provide grants from the State Environmental Fund as part of the ‘Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings and Infrastructure’ (ENERGov) programme, financed from the Modernisation Fund.
The subsidy totalling 320.8 million crowns is specifically designated for the renovation and reduction of energy consumption in the buildings. The city plans a comprehensive modernisation of the building fabric within this framework.
“Thanks to the grant of over 320 million crowns, we can begin the urgently needed modernisation of the Prague Cubes in the Emauzy Monastery area, which houses the Institute for Planning and Development. The modernisation includes replacing the building envelope, a complete interior refurbishment, a new heating and cooling system, and the installation of photovoltaic systems and rainwater storage tanks. This will significantly reduce energy consumption and ensure the sustainable operation of the buildings,” says Prague’s Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda.
“These financial resources are the result of consistent strategic work in the area of energy policy. When planning refurbishments, we attach great importance to energy efficiency and endeavour to reduce the energy consumption of buildings sustainably through targeted measures,” adds Jan Chabr, Chairman of the Energy Committee of the Prague City Assembly.
Additionally, the City of Prague has already received a grant of over 71 million crowns for the energy-efficient refurbishment of the U Krbu catering secondary school building and 33 million crowns for the Nad Štolou grammar school. Two other projects to reduce energy consumption in Prague schools, totalling over 100 million crowns, are currently in the approval phase.
“More than 200 million crowns are being channelled into energy savings at Prague schools. For example, the U Krbu catering secondary school received more than CZK 71 million, the Nad Štolou grammar school more than CZK 33 million, and we are expecting more than CZK 94 million for the Podskalská technical secondary school, the Podskalská grammar school, and the Academy of Crafts Prague. This is an important step towards the modernisation of school buildings and the efficient management of municipal resources,” concludes Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda.
