The new building of the Faculty of Economics of VŠB-TUO became the building of the year

PRESS RELEASE, Ostrava 26 September 2025

The new building of the Faculty of Economics of VŠB-TUO became the building of the year

The new building of the Faculty of Economics – extension H on the campus of VŠB-TUO won the top prize in the Building of the Year 2024 competition of the Moravian-Silesian Region in the category of New Buildings of Civic Amenities and also the highest award GRAND PRIX.

“We are very happy about the award. It is a confirmation that the building of the Faculty of Economics is an extraordinary construction that has significantly increased the comfort of the facilities for students and employees of the faculty and contributed to the completion of the university campus as a modern compact unit. The location of the faculty on the Poruba campus brings a number of positive and synergistic effects for the operation of the entire university,” said Igor Ivan, Rector of VŠB – Technical University Ostrava.

The construction of the new 4110 m² building of the Faculty of Economics took 2 years. The faculty moved to the new premises from the city centre last summer and teaching started there in September 2024 with the start of the academic year. HOCHTIEF CZ and GEMO were the general contractors for the construction, and the building was designed by Chválek ateliér.

The new building of the Faculty of Economics has 1 underground and 4 above-ground floors, a lecture room for 135 students, 40 modernly equipped classrooms, 9 consultation rooms, 2 special classrooms and over a hundred offices. It includes a study room, cafeteria, relaxation areas and an outdoor atrium. The underground parking lot has 174 spaces and a wheelhouse. The building has state-of-the-art equipment and is built with an emphasis on energy efficiency and sustainability, with over 400 photovoltaic panels on the roof and intelligent HVAC and lighting controls.

The Building of the Year Competition of the Moravian-Silesian Region presents achievements in construction and highlights significant projects in the field of construction and architecture. The competition is announced by the Association of Construction Entrepreneurs, the Czech Chamber of Authorised Engineers and Technicians, the Municipality of Architects and the Moravian-Silesian Region. Entries are judged by an 11-member jury composed of representatives of the promoters. This year, a total of 49 buildings competed in individual categories. “Over the past 18 years, we have awarded buildings that have had a fundamental and positive impact on the Moravian-Silesian Region. These works are a testimony to the courage of investors, the creativity of architects, the imagination of designers and the craftsmanship of contractors. As witnesses of the time of their creation, their works remain with us for centuries,” said Pavel Ševčík, Technical Director of the Association of Building Entrepreneurs.

More facts and figures about the building:

Subsidies from the Ministry of Education and Science: 472.8 mil. CZK

Student capacity: 1400

Staff capacity: 270

Construction date: 2022-2023, followed in 2024 by equipping the building, installing modern computer and audiovisual equipment, etc.

Built-up area: 4110 m2, total usable area: 16 101 m2

There are 409 photovoltaic panels on the roof with an output of 150 kW;

The building has rainwater harvesting (96 m3 retention tank) and its subsequent use for flushing and irrigation; waste heat recovery; intelligent control of HVAC, climate and lighting according to occupancy and current needs; centrally controlled blinds with individual settings;

Total construction costs: 834 mil. CZK, excluding VAT, other costs (engineering, interior, AV equipment): CZK 93.3 million. CZK 2.93, excluding VAT