7 ways in which erlenapp helps reach the goals of a 2000 watt residential area

This week, the Erlenmatt West residential area in Basel, Switzerland, was recertified as a 2000 watt residential area. Yeah! And we are really proud that we contributed our part to the recertification! The 2000 watt residential area is a certificate in Switzerland that awards residential areas for their sustainable use of resources when establishing and operating buildings. To get the certificate, residential areas need to deliver a quantitative proof. And there is also a qualitative one, for which you need to collect points. Residential areas get the points for the 2000 Watt certificate by covering aspects in five different categories: management, communication and cooperation, waste management, building, and mobility.

Now how can an app help residential areas earn points in those categories? Let’s take Erlenmatt West, for instance. Every apartment in the residential area comes with its own app, the erlenapp. With the erlenapp over 20 subdimensions of the 2000 Watt certificate are reached directly, which is much easier and more economic than with any other measure. The app provides most points in the categories „management“ as well as „communication and cooperation“. In order to fulfil the requirements of the qualitative evaluation, a residential area needs to obtain at least 50% in each category. Erlenmatt West even fulfilled more than 60% during recertification:

Let’s look at the two categories the erlenapp is especially important in more detail. How exactly can the 2000 Watt goals be reached with the erlenapp?

In the category „management“, the erlenapp provides points by monitoring tenants’ energy consumption, reaching communication goals and helping establish a building’s identity

1. The erlenapp is an essential element in the monitoring of tenants’ energy consumption on a monthly basis. With one click tenants can examine their energy consumption per apartment and per person (warm water, heating, electricity), compare it to the neighbours and the building average:

2. With the erlenapp it’s easy to communicate principles and goals regarding the planned ambience and the sustainable values of the residential area, e.g. guidelines for a good neighbourhood and information on upcoming community events like ambassador meetings.

3. The erlenapp helps establish the identity and perception of the building and the neighbourhood. Is the identity perceived in a way real estate managers intended it to?

In the category „communication and cooperation“, the erlenapp provides points by improving communication with tenants and stakeholders and enabling energy and mobility marketing

4. The erlenapp encourages tenants to a sustainable behaviour in everyday life in the fields of energy, mobility, recycling, water usage etc., e.g. with posts about energy saving tipps in the newsfeed:

5. The erlenapp enhances dialogue and communication with stakeholders allowing for feedback processes and participation. And it could even go further: By introducing ranking mechanisms and other approaches from behavioural economics that proved to have the biggest impact on energy-efficient behaviour, the erlenapp itself could contribute even more to a sustainable behaviour of tenants and owners.

6. Through its newsfeed the erlenapp enables energy and mobility marketing. With the erlenapp it is easy to spread information on carsharing, carpooling, e-bikes etc.

7. With the erlenapp, Erlenmatt West also earned the joker points in the certification process as the app is an essential, additional and effective benefit of a residential area. Joker points are awarded for factors including role model character, innovation, and participation of the population.