The Prague Institute of Planning and Development (IPR Prague) has won one of the world’s most prestigious awards in the field of data and geography. Esri, an international provider of georgraphic information systems (GIS) software, recognized Prague for its long-term work with data and its use in urban planning. At the Esri’s annual conference in San Diego, USA, watched by over 30,000 spectators, Prague’s ability to effectively transform data into ecological and economic solutions that improve the quality of life in the city were highlighted.

IPR received the Esri President’s Award, the company’s most prestigious honor, for its work with geoinformation systems. IPR was recognized primarily for its use of GIS in urban planning. Thanks to the institute’s geoportal and applications such as the digital zoning plan, the heat map of Prague, and technical infrastructure drawings, among others, the City of Prague can develop systematically and efficiently. This data is used for city planning, but also, for example, for the Integrated Rescue System.

“We manage the city basing on data. It is a fundamental method of modern leadership of the 21st century metropolis. Thanks to this, we are able to monitor the fluidity of traffic in the city on a daily basis, effectively solve spatial planning or manage waste smartly. By the way, this has also proven its benefits in two unprecedented crises to which Prague has been exposed in the last four years – both in the covid pandemic and now at the time of the Russian dictator’s invasion of Ukraine and the related refugee crisis,” says Zdeněk Hřib, Mayor of the City of Prague.

“Prague is not only one of the most beautiful cities, but now we can finally say that it is also one of the most technologically advanced. For several years now, we have been trying to push for the digitalization of the entire country to improve urban planning and the impact on climate change. This is one of the reasons for the creation of the CityDeal initiative, which brings together Czech cities and tries to improve the newly emerging building law. We hope that this award will be a driving force for everyone.” Petr Hlaváček, Prague’s First Deputy Mayor for Spatial Development and the Land Use Plan, says.

The award was received in San Diego, California, by IPR representatives directly from Esri President Jack Dangermond. “This is the highest award given only once a year, and the IPR has become one of the awarded cities such as New York and Philadelphia. Data is the IPR keystone: on the basis of it all analyses, strategies, but also the draft metropolitan plan are created. Of course, the data is freely accessible to the general public. We invest a large part of the budget in its collection and use, and I am pleased that this work was also appreciated by the international jury,” comments Ondřej Boháč, IPR Director, on the award.

More information is available in the official press release.

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