A major real estate developer now offers teleworking corners in its new apartments

"There is clearly a before and an after Covid", assures the general manager of the real estate developer Cogedim, Vincent Ego, whose company presented Thursday 10 commitments for its new housing offer, including the construction of apartments "adapted to the telework ".

"More than ever, housing must be a place of refuge. We must, beyond living and resting there, work there," said Mr. Ego to AFP, specifying that the future Cogedim constructions will now offer "an equipped corner that allows teleworking".

"It is a possibility that we offer to our buyers", declares Marie Catherine Chazeaux, director of the product and architecture division, who does not wish "to impose but to propose" this teleworking space, in an era "which pushes forward this new use ".

Three options were chosen to install this new space: at the back of the living room with a glass roof; in a bedroom in addition to storage; or window sill, on the same principle as a bow window.

"Each apartment from 2 rooms is designed to accommodate one or two teleworking spaces depending on its size," said Cogedim in a press release, recalling that 34% of French people "believe that their home is not suited" to this practice.

Confirming that residential development had “suffered less” from the health crisis than other sectors, the CEO of Cogedim also observed an “extremely significant” development of the real estate market in medium-sized cities, reinforced by teleworking.

"This is an axis of geographic development (...) we have taken a position in ten new towns with the establishment of an office and a development manager," adds Mr. Ego, whose company is expanding. for six months in Tours, Angers, Rennes, Rouen or Dijon.

In addition to teleworking, the Altarea group brand presented 10 environmental, well-being and health commitments that will be rolled out from July 1, 2021 across all of its new buildings.

Cogedim undertakes in particular to increase the glazing surface by 20%, strengthen ventilation, equip all of its homes with a balcony "from 2-room apartments" and install thermostatic mixers in its showers and baths "ensuring up to '25% water savings ".

"We are coming out of a period when the time spent in our accommodation was even more important (...) The expectations of residents vis-à-vis their homes have increased", notes Vincent Ego, for whom the Covid crisis has been an "accelerator for taking into account and understanding" customer expectations.