The summer of 2022 flew by in the blink of an eye. If you felt like the sunshine, picnics, and weekend hike left a bit too quickly, you’re not alone. We had afterworks, barbecues, and enjoyed the sunset from a different terrace every weekend. Let’s dive into what Cohabs has been up to recently and what’s coming up next!
Cohabs Retreat 2022
Of course, we held our annual Cohabs Retreat. The getaway weekend was held at a beautiful châlet in the beauty and charm of Belgium’s countryside. We invited motivational speakers, held a smaller version of the Olympics, and even enjoyed an impromptu pool party in the rain. Cohabs has always been about our members, and it was a blast to have the chance to gather and celebrate this wonderful community.
Our houses have been full and bustling, with new members joining us from all over the globe. Cohabs is growing every day, so stay tuned for new openings! Our awesome community will always welcome open-minded individuals who are eager to share a home and way of living.
Sticking with sustainability
Remember our Ma Campagne 232 home? This was Cohabs’ first ecological house, a project that has become a standard for how we renovate and build our homes.
The PEB grade for this unique house is now C+, all the way up from G. We estimate that this saves an entire year of consumption for two members. We are constantly learning and trying to improve. We have a long way to go, and this project has taught us a lot.
Our target moving forward for new Cohabs homes is to receive a score of C or higher. As a reference, the average rating in Brussels is between D and E, although new buildings must attain a B as Brussels moves toward. Even though this project saved around 13.8 tonnes of CO2, we will continue asking what we can do better for our next project.
We learned several lessons from Ma Campagne 232 that have now become a Cohabs standard. Some of these changes include using grass insulation on the roof, cork insulation for facades, and using cellulose wadding in the floor. All these new changes to how we renovate our homes will add to the overall sustainability of our business model.
Fresh perspectives for our team
Summer was all about growth, and this applied to our rockstar team as well. Since May, we have welcomed 13 new teammates with plans to bring on several more by the end of 2022. As Cohabs expands into new cities and countries, we need to grow our one-of-a-kind team; if you like what we do, check our current openings here!
Keeping solidarity in mind
This summer, as a result of the housing crisis, we opened the doors of Ambiorix 37 to Ukrainian refugees. We hope others will do the same and support in whatever way they can. We’re proud partners of SINGA, a non-profit organization whose objective is to create meeting spaces between newly arrived people (like asylum seekers or refugees) and locals.
SINGA is a non-profit organization that strives to create meeting spaces between people who have just arrived (like asylum seekers or refugees) and host country members through sports, cultural, and leisure activities. We’ve been partnering with this amazing organization since September 2020.
Today, we already have more than 25 Solidarity Rooms in different Cohabs homes, and our objective is to convert and maintain 5% of the rooms in our portfolio.
Making the most of Madrid
Things are coming along in the Spanish capital. Renovation is fully underway, with plans to launch our very first home before the end of the year! Follow us on social to watch the magic unfold; this is going to be an opening to remember.
Never visited Madrid? Check out our top places to visit!
The perks of Paris
As our Paris community grows and expands, it’s about time to welcome some new blood. Our biggest project yet in Paris, this new acquisition is 441 m2 in size, and will host 25 ELO bedrooms. Just a 3-minute walk to Charonne subway station, this new home will be a wonderful addition to the Paris community. Stay tuned for the opening in 2023!
Looking for more insights on Paris? Check out a complete guide of what to do before moving, or some great locations for remote working around town.
What’s coming next…
As summer officially bids us goodbye, we couldn’t be more excited for what’s in store for Cohabs. We have many ambitious projects in full swing across the globe, and we can’t wait to share it all with our community. With new homes opening in all the countries we’re active in, it only makes sense to keep up the momentum. Cohabs is making moves to increase the number of bedrooms, houses, and countries. Make sure you don’t miss out as we move toward the end of the year; there’s a big event in store before we usher in the new year!
