This year, YIT reached a significant milestone. It has been operating in the Czech Republic since 2008, i.e. for 15 years. In that time, it has built 29 projects (including individual phases of medium-sized housing projects) with a total of 2,678 completed apartments. It has now brought to completion the first two buildings Kemi and Ranua in the Lappi Hloubětín mixed-use project in Prague 9 and the Vesi Hostivař residential complex in Prague 15, where a total of 417 units have been built. The last few apartments from the Kemi (98) and Ranua (111) phases are currently available for purchase. The first residents will be able to move in at the beginning of next year. In the Vesi Hostivař project (208), it is currently possible to choose from a wide range of apartment-type units, which will be ready for occupation in the first quarter of 2024.
“We are very pleased to have earned a strong position on the Czech market over the past 15 years and to consistently rank among the top five residential developers in Prague. Above all, we are pleased with the interest in our development projects from buyers. As of June this year, we have reached the number of 2,891 clients. During the time YIT has been operating in the Czech Republic, we have thus built new housing for an estimated 6,000 people,” comments Marek Lokaj, CEO of YIT Stavo, on the 15th anniversary and adds, “In the years to come, we will continue to build modern, high-quality housing in the Finnish style that is both environmentally friendly and energy-efficient. We have confirmed our commitment by, for example, joining the Czech Green Building Council and meeting the emission reduction targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative. We also strive to maximise the implementation of environmentally friendly materials (e.g. concrete made from recycled aggregates) and the use of state-of-the-art construction techniques such as prefabrication. By incorporating more modular elements, we will not only improve the quality of our residential projects, but also speed up their implementation.”
The developer currently has 3 projects under construction: the Lappi Hloubětín (Tornio stage), Happi Milanská, Rivi Bachova and is continuing with its largest complex, Suomi Hloubětín. In addition to apartments, YIT has built a kindergarten there and is planning two more residential phases. “We have a number of other projects in the pipeline in Prague, but we will soon expand our reach beyond the capital. We are planning our first construction outside of Prague in Kladno, where approximately 800 apartments will be built in several stages,” adds Marek Lokaj.
YIT has completed over 400 apartments with innovative and sustainable features.
“We could not have celebrated our 15-year anniversary better than by enriching the Prague market with more than 400 comfortable units, which are also intended for early occupation. Despite the unfavourable economic situation of the past few months, the number of people interested in acquiring their own housing is not decreasing, but the capital is still struggling with a large and long-term shortage of apartments. We are therefore pleased that we have now managed to get more projects approved in a short timeframe. Units have gone up in Vesi Hostivař and the first two phases of Kemi and Ranua in Lappi Hloubětín, all of which are located in attractive locations with nature in the neighbourhood and all the advantages of a big city. We believe that both singles or couples and families with children will choose from the remaining units,” explains Dana Bartoňová, YIT Stavo’s Sales Director.
Prefabricated bathrooms in Lappi Hloubětín.
The Lappi Hloubětín complex is being built in three phases and will include a total of nearly 290 apartments and a number of commercial spaces. The Kemi apartment building with seven above-ground and one underground floor includes 98 apartments in layouts from 1 + kk to 4 + kk with sizes from 30 m2 to 100 m2. New residents can look forward to a standard kitchen equipped with quality appliances and fittings and LED lighting. Six commercial spaces have also been built on the ground floor, which their owners can turn into a small shop, a pharmacy or a hairdresser. The Ranua building, with eight above-ground and two underground floors, consists of 111 units with layouts from 1 bedroom to 5 bedroom and sizes from 26 m2 to 137 m2. Between this and the adjacent Tornio phase, a 13-storey tower block with 79 apartments, a quiet and light-filled space with greenery and play elements will be built. Almost all units in the first two phases have a balcony, terrace or front garden. There is a parking space, a pram/carriage room and a room to clean a muddy bike or dog.
During construction, YIT implemented advanced prefabrication technology. Thus, most of the apartments are equipped with modular bathrooms. “The bathroom is indistinguishable from the standard one, but its production is faster and more precise. It is manufactured under strict supervision in a safe factory environment, from where the bathroom is transported to the construction site, where it is craned into the structure of the house. This saves both labour and financial costs and contributes to faster construction and better quality,” says Dana Bartoňová.
Vesi Hostivař with ecological elements.
Within the Vesi Hostivař project, 208 apartment-type units with layouts from 1 + kk to 4 + kk and sizes from 25 to 104 m2 were built in five buildings with four and five floors. Most of them have a front garden, terrace or balcony. Of course, there are cellars, carriage rooms and rooms for washing bicycles or dogs. The project provides for a central reception, security and CCTV system to ensure maximum privacy and security. Future residents can also look forward to park areas with plenty of greenery, sidewalks with benches and walks along the Košíkovský brook.
The YIT project is environmentally friendly and has therefore incorporated several ecological features. Rainwater from storage tanks will be used for watering as a priority. As far as renewable energy is concerned, a photovoltaic plant on the roof of one building will cover part of the electricity consumption in the common areas of the complex – this will save energy and reduce CO2 emissions by around 7 tonnes per year. There is also the possibility of using a charging station for electric vehicles. During construction, the developer then used so-called “green” concrete for part of the structures, where natural aggregate is replaced by crushed mixed demolition waste. This reduced CO2 emissions by almost 3%, saving natural resources and promoting a circular economy.
