Open Garden or Otevřená zahrada at Údolní 33 is a hidden paradise of smart, eco-friendly technology and nature. Photo: Moniur (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons.
Brno, Feb 26 (BD) – A new building at the Brno Educational Center’s Open Garden of the Partnership Foundation won the 2017 Jury Award in the category of energy-saving buildings in the Passive House competition, the Czech online nature and environmental magazine Ekolist reported on February 9, 2018.
The competition tries to identify the most interesting self-sustaining buildings in the Czech Republic.
“A unique passive building with a green roof saves water and energy and reduces the environmental impact. We appreciate a comprehensive approach to high-quality architecture even in the case of public institutions. The project continues to grow and lives up to its name of Open Garden. This is an extraordinary act of supra-regional significance,” the official jury verdict reads.
On the roof, there are photovoltaic panels that collect and save energy and heat the water. The remaining roof area is covered in soil with grass to prevent the building from overheating, and thus there is no need for air conditioning. The buildings use rainwater harvesting to tend the gardens and for use in the bathroom.
What is a passive house? Passipedia.com, the passive house resource, defines it as “a building standard that is truly energy efficient, comfortable, affordable, and ecological at the same time”.
“When we first entered, we were struck by the silence and simple peace of this place. Just a few seconds ago, we were in the noisy heart of the city; passing through the gates of Open Garden, the noise of trams and cars vanished,” a Brno Daily contributor described his first impressions in May 2017 (see more in: Open Garden – a Peaceful Retreat in the Midst of City’s Hustle-Bustle).
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