Prague

Prague is strengthening data-driven urban management through SP1 – Digital Infrastructure & ICT Tools, with Golemio, an open-source urban data platform managed by OICT, the city’s smart technology agency. By centralizing and analyzing municipal data, Golemio enhances urban decision-making, resource efficiency, and citizen engagement, supporting Prague’s climate and sustainability goals.

Key Developments in Prague’s SP1 Solutions

• Centralized Urban Data System – Aggregating data from transport, waste management, and energy sectors to improve city services and planning.
• Smart Energy Monitoring & CO₂ Reduction – Providing insights into building retrofitting potential, energy savings, and emission reductions, aligning with Prague’s Climate Plan 2030.
• Advanced Technology Stack – Utilizing IoT sensors, smart meters, and business intelligence (BI) tools to enable real-time data processing and analytics.

Next Steps:

• Enhancing Data Integration – Strengthening collaboration with energy providers and city departments to improve data accuracy and accessibility.
• Scaling Open-Source Adoption – Expanding the replicability of Golemio’s framework for use in other cities.
• Optimizing Smart City Applications – Refining data visualization tools and decision-making dashboards to support city-wide sustainability initiatives.

Lessons Learned & Collaboration Opportunities

Prague’s Golemio platform is a leading example of open-source, cyber-secure, and citizen-centric urban data management. By leveraging smart technology and cross-sector collaboration, the city is pioneering scalable digital solutions that can be adapted across European urban landscapes.

Deployment of Energy Communities & Prosumers

Prague is making significant progress in deploying an energy-sharing framework within its Positive Clean Energy District (PCED). As part of the ASCEND project, the city is designing and testing three models for energy communities, with the Dolní Počernice area serving as a pilot site for 550 residential units. The Energy Community Readiness Concept (ECRC) is being developed to enable local energy sharing and optimize distributed renewable energy use.

Ongoing efforts include refining technical models, engaging stakeholders, and aligning LDN strategies with upcoming project tenders. By establishing a scalable energy-sharing model, Prague is positioning itself as a leader in decentralized urban energy solutions.

Key Developments in Prague’s SP2 Solutions

• Energy Community Readiness Concept (ECRC): Prague is developing a strategic framework and action plan for local energy sharing within PCED. The first version is anticipated by the end of 2025, with a revised version in 2027.
• New legislative framework for energy sharing: The city benefits from recent legislative changes that simplify the creation and operation of energy communities.
• Integration with the Local Distribution Network (LDN): The incorporation of LDN solutions into planning documents will facilitate the operation of energy communities.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Workshops with key actors, including PCOE (formerly PSOE), the Prague City Mayor’s Office, PDS, and CVUT, helped to refine the concept and align priorities.

Next Steps:

• Completion of the first Energy Community Readiness Concept (ECRC) by the end of 2025.
• Assessment of PV installation and storage potential within energy communities.
• Aligning LDN strategies with upcoming tender for project documentation provider.
• Monitoring national legislative developments to ensure compliance with Prague’s evolving energy-sharing framework.
• Negotiations with potential energy providers and LDN operators to define technical and business models.

Lessons Learned & Collaboration Opportunities

• Regulatory Barriers for biosolar roofs: Urban planning regulations limiting PV expansion on green roofs pose challenges to PCED’s energy balance creating uncertainty for PV deployment. Alternative solutions, such as PV integration with shading structures, are under discussion.
• Competing Interests: Balancing the priorities of energy providers and local energy communities requires ongoing negotiation and policy alignment.

By advancing these measures, Prague is positioning itself as a leader in urban energy innovation. The city aims to establish a replicable energy-sharing model that balances municipal priorities with private-sector collaboration, accelerating the transition toward a resilient and decentralized urban energy system.

In Dolní Počernice, Prague is laying the foundation for a Positive Clean Energy District by combining high-performance building design with a neighborhood-wide energy strategy. By targeting energy certification standards and planning a hybrid energy infrastructure, the city aims to meet carbon neutrality goals while aligning with long-term operational efficiency.

Key Developments in Prague’s Refurbishment Solutions

• Planning High-Energy Performance Buildings – Minimum energy envelope parameters and system efficiencies have been set to ensure the 90 buildings in Dolní Počernice reach Category A certification, in line with Czech energy regulations.
• Integrated Energy Balance Strategy – A basic concept for central heating and power supply has been developed, featuring a mix of heat pumps, PV, CHP to balance fossil use with renewables.
• Technical and Financial Coordination – Prague Development Company (PDS) and Prague City Hall are coordinating planning and validation, with Czech Technical University (CVUT) ensuring technical feasibility and alignment with the district’s Energy Master Plan.
• Tender Preparations Underway – Architect selection is planned to reflect performance targets and implement recommendations from the Energy Master Plan.

Next Steps

• Finalize architect selection and incorporate energy performance criteria into project specifications.
• Assess energy sources and finalize system design with a balance of flexibility, emissions reduction, and economic viability.
• Testing of other possible energy sources (solar thermal, hydrogen) and their contribution to hour-by-hour PCED positivity.
• Define the final technical specifications by the end of 2025 for both building and energy system planning.

Lessons Learned

• Set Clear Targets Early – Establishing energy performance goals and defining system efficiencies from the outset is essential to guide design decisions and ensure alignment across teams.
• There is large difference in results of carbon neutrality when evaluated on annual, monthly or hourly basis (with respected emissions factors).
• Innovation vs Feasibility – Hydrogen offers strong potential for achieving realistic hour-by-hour energy positivity in electricity supply, but high costs and insufficient seasonal heat supply pose ongoing challenges.
• Business Models May Conflict – Operator-driven economic models often diverge from PCED priorities, requiring deep alignment to ensure district-wide goals are met.
• Coordination Is Key – Cross-cutting solutions like this depend on ongoing collaboration between architects, engineers, planners, and operators to avoid silos and optimize outcomes.

Prague’s approach—anchored in energy performance planning and supported by system-level integration—demonstrates how long-term vision, standard-setting, and flexibility can enable effective Positive Clean Energy Districts.

6.1 Creation of an Innovation Team

6.1.1 Innovation Team for Local and Community Energy

Prague is forming an Innovation Team for Local and Community Energy to strengthen collaboration between municipal organizations and departments. The team will involve middle managers and practitioners responsible for energy-related projects within their organizations.

The Innovation Team for Local and Community Energy is still in the planning and design phase, and its first meeting has not yet taken place. 

The goals are to:

• Develop shared understanding and language around current goals, trends, and solutions in local energy.
• Align the activities of key city actors, clarify roles, and inform policymaking for innovation adoption.
• Co-create a common approach to building smart, clean, positive energy districts and ensure implementation in all major projects.
• Collaborate on stakeholder and citizen engagement, ensuring coordinated communication and higher project acceptance.

The team should meet at least twice a year and each year will address specific challenges based on trends and topics addressed by Prague City Hall officials in the given area. 

Roles – Innovation Team
• OICT (Smart Prague Office) – Coordination
• CVUT – Methodology support, key member
• PDS – Founding member and co-host
• PSOE – Founding member and co-host
• Key municipal departments, city organizations, and companies - members

6.1.2 Innovation Team for Environment (Microclimate) 

Prague is also forming an Innovation Team for Environment (Microclimate) to focus on two priorities selected together with the City of Prague: circularity and climate adaptation, which also include microclimate-related topics such as the development of a digital twin of the city’s climate or mapping of cooling oases. 

The first meeting took place on 17 July 2025 at OICT (Dělnická 12, Prague 7) with 19 participants. The team will continue to meet at least twice a year. 

The goals are to: 

• Support the city’s innovation ecosystem through joint activities
• Gather data on the needs faced by the city in the field of environment
• Identify barriers that key city actors are currently dealing with in this area

Roles – Innovation Team 

• OICT (Smart Prague Office) - Coordination
• PVK  (Prague Water Supply and Sewerage Company)
• Pražské služby  (Main municipal waste management company)
• MHMP (Prague City Hall)
• IPR  (The Prague Institute of Planning and Development)
• INCIEN  (Institute for Circular Economy)
• CZU  (Czech University of Life Sciences Prague)
• Metrofarm  (Urban farming initiative in Prague)
• CHMI  (Czech Hydrometeorological Institute)
• AV CR  (Czech Academy of Sciences)

6.2 Co-create Replication Guidelines for Positive Clean Energy Districts

Project partners and stakeholders are co-developing standardized replication guidelines (including energy standards) to be applied across diverse urban contexts. This ensures environmentally conscious and energy-efficient district development. Communication platforms are being used to align investor and user needs with technically and economically viable solutions.

Roles – Replication Guidelines
• PDS – Project design lead, with property developers/design companies
• CVUT – Expert input and facilitation
City of Prague – Investment and property management, energy manager
• OICT – Data collection, monitoring, Golemio tool provider
• PSOE – Operating emerging RES network
• Energy providers and operators – Supplying solutions and operation services
•  • Future tenants and businesses – End users and partners
• Municipal service providers and transport operators – Integration with infrastructure and services

6.3 Investment Opportunities for the construction of PCED (new solution)

PRA6.3 was introduced in Q4 as a new solution under Solution Package 6. The focus is on identifying sustainable business models to support the construction of high-performance, ideally Positive Clean Energy District (PCED)-level developments. The objective is to prepare a comprehensive document for the City of Prague that summarizes key methods and instruments for financing urban district construction. This will include exploring diverse financial approaches, ranging from traditional investment mechanisms to innovative models tailored to sustainable energy districts.

Roles: 

PDS: the main responsibility for this solution, with a focus on integrating PCED principles into its planning practice. Collaboration with partners both inside and outside the ASCEND consortium.

Key Developments in Prague’s SP6 Solutions
• Formation of the Innovation Team
• Appointment of a dedicated innovation manager
• Mutual learning and co-creation sessions
• Joint strategy work for Smart PCEDs
• Team growth and consolidation of structure
• Validation of the Energy Master Plan with PDS before zoning documentation tender
• Preparatory work on replication guidelines (completion target: 10/2026; final specification: 12/2027)

Challenges and Risks

Innovation Team
• Soft nature of the solution makes it challenging to define as a distinct innovation and measure impact
• Onboarding new members and managing coordination transitions can be challenging

Replication Guidelines
• "Take it or leave it" tenancy model limits true co-creation with tenants
• Risk of sub-optimal technology use or poor user experience by end users

Investment opportunities

The main challenge lies in the specific legislative and business environment in the Czech Republic, which affects investment structures and may limit certain financing instruments. Legal uncertainties have also been noted as a recurring issue. Despite these, no major delays are foreseen.

Next Steps
• Development of a cookbook for innovation teams
• Defining evaluation, monitoring, and reporting mechanisms for team activities
• Adoption of the Smart PCED model with defined roles for each organization
• Continued engagement with stakeholders to refine the Energy Master Plan
• Continuous adaptation of the energy concept based on project documentation and planning process
• Completion of replication guidelines for new and existing PRG districts

- Finalization and discussion of the assignment with stakeholders to enable the preparation of the output.
- Drafting of the investment opportunities report for Prague City Hall.

Lessons Learned
• A dedicated innovation manager helps maintain focus and momentum.
• Early role clarification across organizations prevents duplication and misalignment.
• Engaging stakeholders in both planning and operational phases increases adoption success.
• Flexibility in tenancy and operational models supports better end-user experience and technology uptake.

Prague is lying the groundwork for long-term sustainable energy innovation through the establishment of a dedicated Innovation Team, the co-creation of standardized replication guidelines, and the launch of a new solution on investment opportunities for Positive Clean Energy Districts. By aligning municipal actors, developing shared strategies, securing design capacity, and engaging a wide network of stakeholders, the city is building a strong framework for replicable, high-impact urban energy solutions, with no major delays foreseen and key design phases already scheduled.

Prague’s work within ASCEND highlights the intersection of energy efficiency, affordability, and local leadership. With no national programs yet addressing PCED development, the city is taking initiative to improve energy performance in buildings and optimize public lighting systems. Backed by nearly two billion euros in municipal funding, the project also addresses a critical issue: the shortage of affordable housing for public employees. By investing in sustainable energy, Prague is laying the groundwork for an urban energy model that is both responsible and inclusive.