In 2022, KEPLER built the most energy-efficient home on the Flemish market. By 2026, they aim to build such a house every day. These are sky-high ambitions, but not unexpected for those who know founder Dennis Vangeneugden. We spoke with him about sustainable building, entrepreneurship, and serious ambition.
Entrepreneurship started for Dennis back in secondary school. Dennis: ‘As a teenager, I started selling kebabs and ice creams at school with a profit margin. Later, that evolved into mobile phones and laptops. I earned quite a bit of pocket money from it. To the extent that my father thought I was selling drugs and even made me take a drug test (laughs). Later, during my studies, I rented my own 1,000 m² industrial hall and sold drills.’ The beginning of the entrepreneurial story that led to the founding of KEPLER.
Dennis: ‘In 2022, we founded KEPLER with a net positive mindset: giving back more than we take. We do this by developing homes that are light years ahead of their time in terms of technology and energy. You hear a lot about NZEB (Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings) these days, but you can’t really call that innovative anymore. That’s why we go not one, but several steps further. Our houses have an E-level of -15, meaning our customers pay barely fifty euros a month in energy costs.’
‘In 2023, we built a total of 27 KEPLER homes. At the moment, we are building six houses a month, which is already a significant increase. Our goal? To build a house every (working) day by 2026. In other words: we want to go from six to 22 houses per month in three years’ time.’
Building more houses is just one of Dennis’s ambitions for KEPLER. ‘We don’t just want to grow in capacity, but also in reach. I would love to plant a sign in the ground here in Genk with “KEPLER Belgium” on it and grow further into Europe. To do that, from a logistical standpoint, we need production facilities abroad, for example in Germany.’
‘In addition, we have ambitions regarding personalising sustainable home automation using AI, energy sharing as a community, and reducing the energy costs of our homes even further. Just because we’ve come a long way doesn’t mean we’re going to rest on our laurels. We always want to stay light years ahead.’
‘Of course, these ambitions would remain mere talk if there wasn’t a strong team behind KEPLER. In just two years, we have built a team of 23 employees, supplemented by about 25 subcontractors. We aim to double that number within two years, while keeping the ratio with subcontractors in balance.’
‘Yes, I like to set the bar high; that’s just the nature of the beast (laughs). I want to keep moving forward and growing. Not just professionally, but personally too. For instance, I want to add a third full Ironman to my track record in 2025. And continue to focus on more quality time with my family.’
‘I also want to give those opportunities to grow and give it their all to my employees. The chance to develop personally, to miss the mark, to fall, and to get back up stronger. A growth mindset is important in our fast-growing business, and that brings challenges. As an employee, you have to be able to handle the fact that the current structure is sometimes turned upside down by a peak in sales, sometimes resulting in a larger workload.’
‘Which doesn’t mean we throw our employees to the lions, certainly not. We try to support them as much as possible and focus heavily on their professional growth. During the first three months, we evaluate what someone can do, where they want to go, and what they are capable of. Based on this, we create a training plan. Some grow with us, others don’t, and that’s okay too. I mainly want to give them the opportunity; it’s up to them to take it.’
Sometimes you just know something is ambitious. That it has potential. This was the case when Dennis presented his innovative idea to us: the most energy-efficient homes on the market, which are also affordable. To reinforce that idea, there was a clear need for a striking brand strategy and a compelling story. Thanks to their unique construction method, KEPLER approaches living in a completely different way. An experience that is normally very emotional is completely rationalised as a result.
To share that with the world, a unique communication strategy with a bold tone of voice was a must. A strategy that distinguishes KEPLER from the usual approach in the housing market. We chose to tell the story of the product here, instead of the feeling of living. Content marketing, combined with structured lead generation, allowed us to support KEPLER in their strong growth. Something tells us we are far from finished here, especially if it’s up to this client’s ambitions. To be continued, for sure.