Enoki – Interview with Axelle Marchon for Fri Up

In 2017, Switzerland distinguished itself by winning the Solar Decathlon in Denver with the NeighborHub solar house, the brainchild of students from EPFL, HEIA-FR, UNI-FR and HEAD in Geneva. What makes it special? To be a meeting place for the neighborhood, facilitating sustainable lifestyles by offering local activities and services. Seven years on, we catch up with Axelle Marchon, co-founder of the start-up Enoki, the spin-off of this adventure, to take stock of the evolution of their initial project.

Axelle Marchon, how has the Solar Decathlon experience shaped Enoki’s vision and mission?

The project created a momentum that led us to launch Enoki as a limited liability company. This experience gave us the impetus to adapt the concept to the market, in order to promote more sustainable housing and lifestyles. Our mission is to develop real estate projects, or transform existing ones, by integrating ecological and social sustainability issues. This involves, for example, creating shared spaces, local services and neighborhood communities through a neighborhood activation approach. We have also developed part of our business around building and neighborhood certifications, working in particular with the SNBS and SEED (association pour le développement des quartiers durables) certifications to support real estate developers and project owners.

Can you explain what you mean by “neighborhood activation”?

Neighborhood activation means creating attractive, sustainable living spaces. We are involved right from the planning stage, proposing a strategy for developing the neighborhood’s sustainability, a program of spaces and an operating model. We then accompany the developer and the various contractors in the development of the construction project, and work with the property managers to adapt their communication and raise tenant awareness. We also organize the welcome party and awareness-raising workshops, support the creation of the residents’ association, define the management concepts for shared spaces, and so on. In short, we provide all the tools needed to set up and manage neighborhood life. We then monitor the project with key performance indicators (KPIs) such as the number of neighbors a resident knows.

You have a participative approach. What does this involve?

We use a variety of methods to involve users, such as surveys, co-creation workshops or diagnostic walks. This approach enables them to express their needs and participate in the dynamics of their living environment.

Can you tell us about your communication tools?

We create WhatsApp communities, for example, but we also organize awareness-raising workshops on topics such as energy, waste management and mobility. In new neighborhoods, we’re setting up clean consumer groups (CCGs) to consume locally-generated electricity, which means changing residents’ habits through awareness-raising initiatives. Typically, this means no longer running the washing machine at night, but rather in broad daylight when the panels are producing electricity.

How do you see the future?

Our current aim is to strengthen our position in French-speaking Switzerland as a key player in sustainable real estate. In the longer term, we aim to expand into German-speaking Switzerland.

Fri UP was there for you in the early days, but what about today?

Yes, on an ad hoc basis for certain advice or for opinions on the tools to be used. Fri Up’s expertise is very beneficial to us, and the geographical proximity of our offices is very convenient!

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