When engineering goes hand in hand with ecology and democracy

When NFIC's know-how is combined with an ecological and participatory approach, you can be sure the result will be something special! Welcome to the 2000-Watt Site at Églantine in Morges, a visionary project in which we are particularly proud to have played a part.

Today, real-estate projects need to offer more than just housing or commercial space. They must provide a real perspective on how we all live together. The new 2000-Watt eco-district of Églantine, which will be completed this year, follows this approach. And at NFIC, because we are engineers of all that is different, we are obviously delighted to have been able to play our part in this new vision of society.

An approach unlike any other

Located in the west of Morges, a stone’s throw from the town centre, the district covers more than 40,000 m². The architecture itself exudes quality of life, with expanses of greenery that interact with the structures. The buildings are constructed to the highest sustainability standards, such as the Minergie-P ECO label and the “2000-Watts Site” certificate awarded by the Swiss government to buildings that are at the cutting edge of energy efficiency, renewable energy and climate protection. This is complemented by the use of innovative materials, such as recycled concrete – a type of concrete that NFIC is researching in depth to improve its environmental performance while maintaining its mechanical characteristics.

But what also distinguishes this project is that, in addition to this requirement for environmental responsibility, there is a real participatory approach. As early as 2015, workshops were organised with local residents by the municipality of Morges in order to understand what they expected from a new district that was to be perfectly integrated into the town. This led to many recommendations.

Not just a district, but a vision

The result? Today, Églantine is a model of green living, incorporating heat pumps and a wastewater recovery system, as well as roofs with solar panels and vegetable gardens. It is also a place that promotes soft mobility and, above all, the inclusion of all within the community: all inhabitants have an app that allows them to converse, vote on decisions, help each other out, and so on.

Many players have worked hard on this project, including NFIC, which was involved in the construction of one of the buildings. It was a technical construction challenge combined with a vision for the future – and needless to say we embarked on it with passion.