In Židlochovice, they are preparing the construction of a "smart district" for hundreds of people

Židlochovice – In Židlochovice in the Brno region, construction of a "smart quarter" is set to begin in late 2022 in the area to the northwest of the city called Líchy. On an area of over three hectares, there will be family and apartment buildings for several hundred residents. They will be energy-efficient in their consumption of electricity and water. At the same time, the construction is designed to ensure that people do not isolate themselves behind the walls of their homes but that community life operates here. The city also hopes that the project will attract people from professions that are lacking in the city, said Mayor Jan Vitula (TOP 09).

"We are currently preparing to announce an architectural study on what the development should look like. The zoning plan currently allows only family houses, but there will definitely be apartment buildings there," said Vitula. The city wants to combine family homes, starter and small apartments, and more luxurious apartments. Once the study provides a more precise answer, it will be clear how many residents will live here.

The city is collaborating on the project with the Passive House Center, and it is co-financed by the German foundation Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt. The city is also working with sociologists who are addressing how to strengthen community life. There will be a public orchard or garden, barbecues, and shared workshops as part of it. The city hopes that doctors, teachers, and people from other professions needed for the city could live here.

Smart technologies are important in the project. Water distribution will be divided into drinking and utility water to avoid wasting drinking water on irrigation, for example. Apartments and houses will also have domestic wastewater treatment plants. This is expected to save half of the drinking water and reduce the wastewater output by half compared to standard practices. Electricity will also be saved by having appliances and sources communicate about production possibilities and consumption needs. Digital technologies will also control public lighting and monitor parking spaces.

"We are also collaborating with a developer who is being accommodating. I believe that the preparation could proceed fairly quickly," Vitula anticipates. According to more optimistic forecasts, people could move into the first apartments or houses in 2023. Currently, Židlochovice has over 3,800 residents.