Home photovoltaic power plants performed very well during the July blackout. There was sunny weather that day, so most systems with battery storage had enough energy for basic household operation. However, it’s important to remember that the goal of these systems is not to enable unlimited consumption – for example, doing laundry all day or running air conditioning at full blast. The generated energy needs to be used efficiently because it’s uncertain when the grid will be restored or whether weather changes might significantly limit production. The backup principle is simple – the system switches to so-called backup mode, either manually or automatically through smart controls. The Infigy system optimizes energy consumption in which the transition to backup mode is handled by an inverter. It then ensures that non-essential appliances don’t unnecessarily drain the battery.

Did widespread home voltaics cause the blackout, help prevent it, or are they part of the solution?

According to official information from ČEPS, photovoltaic power plants had no direct influence on July’s outage. The cause was purely a technical failure on line V411. This was a mechanical failure, not a problem caused by decentralized energy production. More generally though, households equipped with battery storage can help stabilize the rest of the distribution network in such cases. By blocking energy consumption from the grid or switching to island mode, they reduce pressure on the infrastructure and contribute to faster restoration of balance.

What impact do home systems have compared to large solar power plants?

We don’t have precise figures for a direct comparison of the impact of home systems versus large installations (e.g., corporate, or municipal). Generally, however, the two forms of production complement each other. Home systems are beneficial especially from the perspective of decentralization and relieving the distribution network. Thanks to them, it’s possible to produce and consume energy directly at the point of need, which increases efficiency and reduces transmission losses. Large power plants, on the other hand, offer more stable output and play a key role in the overall balance. The combination of both types of production – together with smart control and storage – is key to resilient and flexible energy systems of the future.

So, do you think they help diversify energy sources instead of creating more problems than solutions?

Home photovoltaic power plants significantly contribute to the diversification of energy sources in the Czech Republic. This is a renewable, local, and ecological energy source that is independent of fossil fuels. Thanks to energy being consumed directly at the point of production, there is lower load on the transmission system, higher household self-sufficiency, and smaller distribution losses. They’re also an efficient use of roof space that reduces the need to acquire and fill land, which is another ecological advantage. However, it’s crucial that these sources are smartly controlled. All renewable sources have variable output – for example, photovoltaics depend on sunlight. Thanks to platforms like Infigy, it’s possible to synchronize consumption with production so that as much energy as possible is used while the the sun is shining. That’s the way to ensure stability of the entire system while getting the most out of the energy that’s generated.

Jiří Šizling is co-owner of Infigy

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“Construction is the least digitized industry. Even agriculture is more digitized,” explains PlanRadar’s regional manager Szilárd Simon. “What typically happens is that once you hand over the building from the construction site, whoever ends up doing the facility management has to rebuild the data from scratch.”

And that’s a real problem in the era of ESG compliance and the need for granular data. It’s crucial for asset owners building to be able to track the data their buildings are throwing off from the moment they get the keys.

PlanRadar has been working to eliminate these boxes for years, but old habits and processes die hard. The company’s basic approach is to enable the instantaneous sharing of the latest project plans and drawings to everyone involved – on a definable need to know basis. It also enables anyone from project managers, to inspectors or foreman to create tickets in those plans to notify of changes, or defects or areas of concern.

By archiving all projects changes and the huge variety of tickets produced over the course of construction, the developer is able to hand over a digital representation not just of the finished building, but of the process itself.

Over the past year, the company has rolled out two major additions to its platform: a comprehensive pre-construction planning system and an innovative “SiteView” feature that uses 360-degree cameras for progress monitoring.

The pre-construction system might sound like just another document management tool, but it’s actually solving one of development’s most persistent headaches: keeping everyone on the same page during the planning phase. Architects upload plans, stakeholders comment, revisions are tracked, and approvals are managed in a structured workflow that ensures nothing falls through the cracks.

Given the industry’s notorious resistance to change, Szilárd Simon says PlanRadar has teams on the ground to guide companies through digital transformation step by step. “We hold our partner’s hand,” he says. “We don’t let them lose.” It’s an approach that’s enabled the company to spread to 75 countries and iterate in 28 languages. But it also makes it crucial to make the complex software feel simple to use. “If we give them difficult software, they’ll just stick with Excel.”

Having been used by HB Reavis in the Varso Tower project and by developers like Passerinvest, there’s increasing evidence that even in CEE, the industry’s digital resistance might finally be cracking. And it couldn’t come at a better time. With ESG requirements becoming more stringent and new government legislation on the horizon, the need for comprehensive building data is growing. Forward-thinking developers are already bringing facility management companies into projects earlier, recognizing that the data collected during construction will be crucial for future operations.

Looking ahead, PlanRadar is betting big on AI. They’ve already rolled out an AI chatbot for customer support, but they see much bigger possibilities on the horizon. Their SiteView feature, for instance, could eventually use machine learning to automatically track construction progress.

The contrast between Eastern and Western European markets offers an interesting subplot to Plan Radar’s expansion. While Western Europe may have taken the lead in construction digitization, Central and Eastern European markets are rapidly catching up, driven by international investment and standardized project management approaches.

The high-minded goal may be to get rid of those blueprint-filled boxes, but Simon says the important thing is to keep looking for day-to-day solutions to problems. “We’re not saying we can change the world. We just want to show you ways you can be more efficient.”

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“The problem investors and developer all face is that they are overwhelmed with information . . .

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Krzysztof Gawliczek (Velis) says the main aim was to deliver a flexible solution to AmRest’s facility management team. It will allow them to organize and prioritize tickets coming in from the restaurants as well as to monitor expenses and operations. Using an app, a person on site can touch his phone to an NFC placed on a malfunctioning piece of equipment to create the basis of a report that goes straight to AmRest’s headquarters. Gawliczek said his team had made several modifications to the Singu FM system to match the client’s specialized business.

“The implementation for AmRest proves that Singu FM software is a comprehensive solution providing great value for a broad range of real estate types, including the gastronomy industry,” says Adam Penkala (Velis Real Estate Tech).

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The first phase of’P3 Pilsen Myslinka park is now fully leased, following an agreement for Hall B with auto parts company WM Logistic Nýřany. It will be using the building as an expansion warehouse for its existing facilities in the region. Petra Kroupová (Logistické centrum Nýřany) said the company had considered moving to a bigger site “but at the same time we didn’t want to leave our warehouse right by the D5.” The decision was therefor taken to expand its operations to the new building Myslinka. P3 began construction at the site speculatively, but was still able to incorporate several key tailor-made requirements, including a permit to store car tires. Marek Kodr of 108 Agency (which acted for the tenant) said it had been challenging to find a hall near completion that matched the needs of its client. “Thanks to careful planning and collaboration with the development team, we were able to prepare the hall for occupation, including all the changes needed by the client, in record time.”

Stannah Stairlifts at CTPark Brno Líšeň

Stannah Stairlifts will ramp up production in Brno to enable it to supply its European customers from the Moravian capital. Stannah leased 6,000 sqm of space in CTPark Brno Líšeň back in March, but an additional 2,000 sqm is being added. The company plans to move all their European rail production to Brno within a year. It’s a significant move, since Stannah has been in the Czech Republic since 2007, specifically at CTPark Brno in Černovické terasy. CTP’s Jakub Kodr says the Líšeň park is being built on the former brownfield site of the Zetro complex. The park’s 1st phase will soon be completed and will offer up to 3,000 job positions. There’s still 1,700 sqm of available rental space left.

Velis scores new investment

The proptech software company Velis Real Estate Tech has landed a major investment from a group of international investors. The new funds are to be used to expand the company’s presence in the United States and in Western Europe while accelerating the development of its flagship Singu platform. Part of the deal includes a strengthening of management, as Pawel Malon and Marek Jakubow are coming on board. An experienced board of directors has also been put in place. Velis currently has over 350 enterprise clients for whom it provides facility and access management software solutions. “We’re on a journey to improve and digitize all aspects of managing real estate assets, and we’re just getting started,” said Adam Penkala, Co-Founder of Velis.

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To start, perhaps you could provide a brief outline of OBO’s remit and give me an idea . . .