REFRESH Living Labs hosted distinguished visitors

On Monday, representatives from the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Regional Development, and the State Environmental Fund of the Czech Republic visited the REFRESH Living Labs. Their visit followed the mid-term evaluation meeting with the managing authority of the Operational Programme Just Transition (OP JT) and the State Environmental Fund, held in Ostrava to review the first half of OP JT project implementation.

“We stay in regular touch with these institutions, but seeing the project’s tangible outcomes is valuable for them. I appreciate their interest and was pleased to receive very positive feedback,” said REFRESH Director and VSB-TUO Rector Igor Ivan.

The delegation toured the Energy Lab facilities at the Centre for Energy and Environmental Technologies, the newly established Materials-Envi Lab laboratories, and observed progress on the construction of the Center for Advanced Innovation Technologies – TL4, part of the Industry 4.0 & Automotive Lab and the project’s largest construction investment.

“It was certainly useful to witness how the project is advancing. We could see what has already been accomplished and meet new people involved in the project,” noted Radana Leistner Kratochvilova from the Ministry of the Environment.

The purpose of the mid-term evaluation was to assess project development so far and, if needed, recommend adjustments. “We must ensure the projects are moving in the right direction. Our shared goal is to support the region, and that requires close cooperation. We also have to verify that the chosen approaches remain sustainable. In REFRESH’s case, we can say that halfway through, the project is already surpassing many indicators. That is excellent news, and we hope it will deliver even greater benefits. At this stage, I am personally very satisfied and wish REFRESH continued success,” Kratochvilova added.

With a subsidy of CZK 2.5 billion, the REFRESH project is the largest in the history of VSB-TUO. In cooperation with the University of Ostrava and other partners, it addresses regional challenges and contributes to economic, energy, and environmental transformation.