Our Commitment to Carbon Neutrality

In October 2020, “Carbon-neutrality by 2050” was declared. In order to achieve carbon neutrality, it sets clear and challenging numerical targets to reduce CO₂ and other greenhouse gases to half by 2030 and to zero by 2050. About 1/3 of Japan’s CO₂ emissions are from housing and buildings. Carbon neutrality is not only achieved by the energy efficiency and emission reduction of individual buildings , but requires the action of whole society, including the entire supply chain. At this moment, concrete efforts to deal with climate change are considered a prerequisite for business, and in the field of urban development and architecture, where Nihon Sekkei is involved, decarbonization has become an important mission to accomplish.

From Material to Urban Development
We have been working to reduce energy consumption by improving the energy-saving, energy-creating performance of buildings and cities and promoting the conversion to ZEB. To achieve “Carbon-neutrality by 2050,” it is necessary to reduce CO₂ emissions from the perspective of the life cycle of a building, including construction, renovation, and demolition. This means that the performance of the exterior and structure will be kept until 2050. For example, the exterior should aim for higher energy-saving performance and materials such as wood with low CO₂ emissions should be actively used. On the other hand, the use of building stock is also essential to promote decarbonization. Furthermore, it is important to tackle decarbonization from a broad perspective by making full use of energy design and inter-regional collaboration technologies with local characteristics in urban design. We believe that it is important to deepen our technologies while keeping a broad perspective. We have set four key issues and are starting from here.

Four Key Issues We Are Working on Now

<img class=”wp-image-22313 alignnone” src=”https://www.nihonsekkei.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/f5e109ea8929b6785bddfe342c245eb9.png” alt=”” width=”40″ height=”40″ />　Material　　Wooden Architecture, Wood Utilization

Promote Regional Revitalization and Low-Carbon Activities
Since a timber volume regulation is added to green building certification focusing on ESG investment in 2021, wooden components can be used in large-scale and mid to high-rise buildings. Nihon Sekkei will also work toward the generalization of high-rise wooden buildings by developing high-durability engineered wood and joints, and by participating in the development of supply chain and cost guidelines of local forestry. Also, we will contribute to the circulation of wood using local materials, while extracting the indoor comfort elements of wood and clarifying the items that contribute to environmental performance, in order to maximize the benefits of wood utilization.

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<td style=”width: 37%; height: 161px;” width=”200″><img class=”alignnone wp-image-22179 size-full” src=”https://www.nihonsekkei.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/W470_112_I8A3222-2.jpg” alt=”” width=”470″ height=”330″ /></td>
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<td style=”width: 60%; height: 161px; vertical-align: top;” width=”200″><a href=”https://www.nihonsekkei.co.jp/projects/16248/”>Nagareyama City Oguro-no-Mori Primary School</a>
In order to create a good environment for children’s learning and living, a warm wooden school building was constructed by wood. Approximately 2,200m³ of lumbers were used, which stores approximately 2,000t of carbon and reduces CO₂ emissions by approximately 2,100t compared to RC construction, equivalent to the annual CO₂ emissions of approximately 1,400 households. This is the largest semi-fireproof wooden school building in Japan using prefectural timber, and we aim to contribute to the revitalization of the timber industry and use it as a material of social learning for children.</td>
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<img class=”alignnone wp-image-22315″ src=”https://www.nihonsekkei.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/3fffb53acd1e89115854a8576019e401.png” alt=”” width=”40″ height=”40″ />　Stock Utilization　　Increase in Longevity, ZEB Revision

To Use Sustainably, and to Add the New Value
To reduce CO₂ emissions over the life cycle of a building, it is important not only to save energy during operation, but also to maintain buildings for a long time and to reducing energy consumption associated with material production, transportation, and construction, reducing waste from demolition.　We will promote ZEB renovations that raise the building value while update according to the needs of the time, in order to achieve long term building usage. In addition to energy, we will accelerate our efforts in the area of renovation, including the preservation and utilization of historical buildings, to move away from scrap-and-build and promote decarbonization and the creation of new value.
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<td style=”width: 37%; height: 161px;” width=”200″><img class=”alignnone wp-image-22180 size-full” src=”https://www.nihonsekkei.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/33a5d68a83360f0549f135fe30b9dffa-2.jpg” alt=”” width=”470″ height=”330″ /></td>
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<td style=”width: 60%; height: 161px; vertical-align: top;” width=”200″><a href=”https://www.nihonsekkei.co.jp/projects/1733/”>Nagahama City Hall</a>
The former Nagahama Municipal Hospital, completed in 1986, was completely renovated and rebuilt as the West Wing of the City Hall in harmony with the newly expanded East Wing. The existing light garden was transformed into an interior atrium, and the elevator shafts of the old building were used to improve the ventilation and lighting performance of the building, creating added value that is also environmentally friendly. By using the existing structure of the city hall,CO₂ emissions during the construction phase, have also been reduced significantly.</td>
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<img class=”alignnone wp-image-22316″ src=”https://www.nihonsekkei.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/740ab71891f8417167e8010da6e10852.png” alt=”” width=”40″ height=”40″ />　Energy　　ZEB Conversion, Energy Coordination

From Design to Building Management
We have been promoting ZEB by selecting the optimal energy system, adopting new environmental technologies, designing buildings with high efficiency and low energy consumption from the perspective of promoting carbon neutrality. In addition, we are making efforts to participate in and promote ongoing commissioning* to ensure optimal building management after construction is completed. In the future, we will further decarbonize by promoting the use of ICT and increasing the use of renewable energies, as well as the comprehensive use of energy, such as cooperation between demand and supply, surrounding facilities, and regions.
*Verify the operational performance of building facilities, and propose adjustments and renovations necessary and achieve more energy-efficient operation
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<td style=”width: 37%; height: 161px;” width=”200″><img class=”alignnone wp-image-22178 size-full” src=”https://www.nihonsekkei.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/W470_010_L7Z1832-2.jpg” alt=”” width=”470″ height=”330″ /></td>
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<td style=”width: 60%; height: 161px; vertical-align: top;” width=”200″><a href=”https://www.nihonsekkei.co.jp/projects/7614/”>AKASAKA INTERCITY AIR</a>
By extending the district heating and cooling zone and linking the new high-efficiency DHC plant in the building with the existing DHC plant, we are contributing to the promotion of energy conservation in the entire district by supplying the highly efficient heat produced by the new plant to the consumers of the existing plant. In addition,
energy-saving air-conditioning systems such as the use of medium-temperature chilled water and various measures such as vertical louvers to block solar radiation and natural ventilation have helped achieve ZEB Ready status for large-scale complex buildings in the city center.</td>
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<img class=”wp-image-22317 alignnone” src=”https://www.nihonsekkei.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/69d806e779e225e3af7e7cb4191fe029.png” alt=”” width=”40″ height=”40″ />　Urban Development　　Policy Collaboration, Ecosystem Conservation, Inter-City Collaboration
Linking Affluent Living With Future Value
We have been involved in the development of green spaces, technical proposals and system establishment of low carbon development, and has been working on urban development that balances environmental and economic values in central Tokyo and regional cities. We will protect the natural environment, utilize renewable energy, and use ICT and DX to link and circulate these sources with people’s daily lives in order to achieve “Carbon-neutrality by 2050”. Furthermore, we will take a broader perspective of cities, propose urban development that creates rich lifestyles and future value while maintaining zero carbon.

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<td style=”width: 37%; height: 161px;” width=”200″><img class=”alignnone wp-image-22121 size-full” src=”https://www.nihonsekkei.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/6e8180a21f5a268e6ff462b2e2c86a25.jpg” alt=”” width=”470″ height=”330″ /></td>
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<td style=”width: 60%; height: 161px; vertical-align: top;” width=”200″>The city development of Kasumigaseki, Akasaka, Toranomon, Shinbashi area
We have been involved in several large-scale projects in this area. In the Akasaka-Toranomon Greenway Project, which started with AKASAKA INTERCITY AIR, we worked together with the neighborhood and the local government to promote green urban development over a wide area beyond the city blocks. In addition, the latest energy systems have been introduced in redevelopment projects in the area to promote low-carbon development of the entire city. We will continue to play a role in the development of a decarbonized city while responding to changes in society and the economy.
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