The largest scientific project in the history of the Czech Republic Cycle Employer 2024

This year’s Prague Cycle Employer Bike to Work is a bit of science fiction. The ELI Beamlines scientific research center focuses on laser technology studies cancer and the planet. We visited his impressive residence in Dolní Břežany, which has been standing since 2015 and comes from the prestigious British Bogle Architects workshop. And with the center’s PR manager Michael Vích, we talked not only about how scientists ride their bicycles to work.

“As for the possibilities to park your bike here, there are basically two,” he tells us at the reception of the center’s main building. Visitors and externs can tie their bikes to the rack in front of the entrance, employees have two parking containers available in the inner block of the building. They also have a charger for e-bikes and basic tools. About 330 people work in the center and about a quarter of them cycle to work regularly. Mostly from Prague. Dolní Břežany is lucky that it is relatively easy to get here by bike from Prague. “One cycle path leads along the Vltava with a climb up the hill at the end, the second option is from Roztyly or Kačerov through Písnice, and the third path leads to the other side towards Jesenice. I think that most of our people use one of them,” continues Mr. Vích. He lives in Michle, Prague, and it takes him about an hour to get to work by bicycle. So he ticks off his daily dose of physical activity thanks to traveling to and from work.

A place of honor for internal company promotion of the May Challenge

We are a modern institution

70% of the center’s employees are foreigners from 28 countries around the world, and according to Vích, they don’t need much convincing for sustainable transport. “Our scientific director brought his special bike from England and was absolutely thrilled to be able to ride it here.” For the largest scientific project in the history of the Czech Republic, it is important for its employees to travel sustainably and to have the appropriate infrastructure built for them. “We are a modern institution and in the management, there are people who are fans of healthy exercise and actually any kind of sport,” explains Vích. There are showers or changing rooms in the building, which were created by transforming the original warehouse spaces. “We support all sports here, not just cycling, we regularly participate in the Vltava Run, before covid we even organized our own Břežany Laser Run.”

Facilities for cyclists include changing rooms

Been on the bike for many years

The center has been participating in the To Bike to Work challenge since its opening in 2015. “Before that, we had offices in Harfa and did the so-called Tour de ELI. In the spring and autumn, we cycled around the Vltava here, to look at the construction site and back. And since then, the bike has been with us,” he says. The number of people participating in the Bike to Work Challenge has grown at ELI Beamlines in proportion to the growing number of employees. “Scientists who work for us change quite often, they work here for maybe a year or two, and then they return to Germany, Sweden, or Korea… And then “our” scientists go somewhere else and maybe get out of it for a year. But in recent years, the number of challenge participants has been stable.”

Building from 2015 from a prestigious architectural studio

The challenge brings people together across disciplines

The title of Cycle Employer surprised and certainly pleased the center. “We had it on the screens right at reception and the director proudly mentioned it in the monthly newsletter. He emphasized how important cycling is and mentioned what we do here for cyclists,” answers Michael Vích to the question: What did the Cycling Employer of the Year do to you? And he also explains that the center’s staff is divided into technical, scientific, and administrative teams. Through them, teams are created as part of the Bike to Work challenges, and they thus fulfill an important social function of getting to know each other. “It’s interesting to see how people are talking about it and dividing according to what strategy each team will take.”

Containers for bicycle parking

The largest project in Czech history

And because there are so many foreigners in ELI Beams, individual teams organize, for example, rides or walks around Prague or the center. “It’s nice to have someone show you around a strange city, and the challenge definitely brings people together.” And what is actually the content of the work of the largest scientific project in the history of the Czech Republic? “We mainly do basic physical research. This means that it will only be put into practice with our children and grandchildren,” says Vích. They accelerate different types of particles, work with plasma, deal with astronomy, try to make proton therapy more accessible, research the vacuum… In short, it is an institution full of academics who are fans of exercise and sports in general. “The director is a great athlete and I think it depends on that.”

Staff also have access to a gym, table football and a ping pong table

Infrastructure? It could be done better

They installed the bicycle parking containers here precisely because the entire main building gradually found itself surrounded by parked bicycles and the original architectural design by Ian Bogel did not take them into account. “So we solved it this simply,” Vích shows us the interior of the bike shed. And he adds that he personally comes up with the best ideas on the bike. Michael Vích is satisfied with the cycling infrastructure in the vicinity of ELI Beamlines and likes to cycle to work. But not so much after Prague. “I don’t like it when the cycle lane suddenly jumps. Now I have older children, but when they were small, I didn’t know what to do with them at that moment.” According to him, foreigners, especially those from Scandinavia, are literally shocked by this fact. “I understand that Prague is an old city with narrow streets, but it could definitely be done better,” he adds.

Local lawn mowers

Sustainability is essential

In addition to the bike room, changing rooms, and showers, there is also a small gym available to employees on the center premises, where they walk around the grazing sheep. They work here instead of lawnmowers. The Facility Management department takes care of them. On the roof of the center you will also find 665 photovoltaic panels, they have a cogeneration unit that saves 50% of heating energy and 12% of electricity. “We have high-power lasers here, which are extremely energy-intensive, the largest one has the power of five million Temelíns, so saving energy is very important here. We also have many other plans to reduce energy consumption,” he says.

The science center of pan-European importance is also open to the public twice a year. On the Night of Scientists in September and on the Day of Light in May. If it attracts you, like schools from all over the world, politicians, and experts, make a note in your diary and plan a trip.

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