Prague's first climate-neutral district could emerge around the planned development of the Vltava Philharmonic Hall

"The Energocentrum project has been in development for about two years. It uses the heat of wastewater that is treated on Císařský ostrov. Every second, three cubic metres of filtered wastewater leaves the treatment plant, which even in the coldest months has a temperature of more than ten degrees. We have a big opportunity to use this water to provide heat for up to a third of Prague. This has been successfully applied for decades in Denmark and Sweden, and there is no reason why it should not be the case here too. Moreover, sewage is the only raw material that Prague will always have enough of," says Petr Hlaváček, First Deputy Mayor of Prague.

The Energocentrum is one of the initiatives to make Prague independent from Russian gas. In the future, the Energocentrum in Bubeněč could also be used to heat and cool down the Vltava Philharmonic Hall, which will be built by the river near the Vltavská metro station.

The new urban district of Bubny-Zatory is to be built in the future to replace one of the largest brownfields within the city today, which covers an area of more than 100 hectares. Up to 25,000 inhabitants will find a home here in 11,000 flats. The first houses could start to be built in 2025 and the project is expected to be fully finished by 2040. For such a large and complicated area, the City of Prague has commissioned a detailed plan for the location of supply networks and other technical infrastructure.

"Bubny-Zatory is the largest brownfield site basically in the city centre, which will offer a vibrant neighbourhood for up to 25,000 inhabitants in the future. Its centre will be the forthcoming Vltava Philharmonic Hall. That is why it is important to prepare all the technical conditions for its proper development in good time. The use of wastewater for heat generation is one of the key projects that resonates even more strongly in today's socio-political situation. This would create a self-sufficient and climate-neutral district in Prague," adds Ondřej Boháč, Director of the Institute of Planning and Development.

More information can be found in official press release.