Environmental Activities
To realize our environmental vision, every three years we draw up a new version of our "Endless Green Program" medium-term environmental action plan, under which environmental activities are pursued by setting targets for each operational field and every business process.
In pursuit of its long-term environmental vision, the Daiwa House Group draws up an action plan incorporating specific targets every three years under the name Endless Green Program. The scope of the Endless Green Program 2010, which covers the period from fiscal 2008 through 2010, was expanded to encompass all the major Group companies, and the CO2 Double Score (decreasing CO2 emissions from the use of our products by twice the amount of CO2 emitted from our business operations) was adopted as a core target for all operations and business processes, to address the main theme of preventing global warming. We are now planning the creation of an environmental management structure for the entire Group from fiscal 2011.
Out of the four environmental activity themes, we have given the highest priority to the prevention of global warming. We have positioned the attainment of the CO2 Double Score target as the core goal for the Daiwa House Group as a whole, and are pursuing activities aimed at reaching that goal across the full spectrum of business operations and processes.
Realizing the CO2 Double Score target
We aim to make a contribution to preserving the global environment that outweighs the negative impact of our business operations. We have chosen an indicator that enables us to measure the degree to which the Group's business operations contribute to the fight against global warming. That indicator is: "Group contribution to emissions cuts,"* and we have set the level of this indicator for fiscal 2010 at twice or higher (i.e. our positive contribution is to be twice the negative impact), hence the name CO2 Double Score
To reach this goal, we are tackling the reduction of CO2 emissions levels through energy conservation measures at the Group's offices, factories, hotels and other facilities. We are also proactively proposing and marketing energy conservation strategies to our customers for use in homes and buildings, to contribute to reducing CO2 emission levels.
At the Daiwa House Group, we design and construct residential developments in which the natural scenery of each local area is used to enhance the residents'daily lifestyles to the maximum extent.
One example of such developments is Koshigaya Lake Town, located some 22 kilometers from the center of Tokyo. As its name implies, this development centers on a large lake, and is surrounded by extensive greenery with abundant wildlife. This is a town where nature's presence is unmistakably felt. The single-family house and condominium blocks within Koshigaya Lake Town, which were opened to the public in March 2008, are pioneering models of the kind of urban development we are promoting, where harmony is realized between human communities and the natural environment. Natural ventilation and sunlight are employed wherever possible throughout this development, and the lake and other local water resources are also closely integrated into the community.
We focused on wind and light in our design of the single-family house development block. We carefully analyzed the wind patterns throughout the whole area, and the ventilation and heat-emission features of each house were individually designed on the basis of this analysis.
We took maximum advantage of sunlight in our designs for the condominium development block. The condominiums incorporate photovoltaic power generation systems for their hot water supply and heating. These are among the largest photovoltaic systems employed in any rental apartment buildings in Japan.
The Daiwa House Group aims at harmonious coexistence with the natural environment. We design residential environments that promote healthy lifestyles, are comfortable, and blend in effortlessly with the residence’s natural surroundings. In our design and development of whole residential areas and individual dwellings we take a comprehensive perspective on the protection of the global environment, and are working proactively to popularize the Environmentally Friendly Housing* certification system.
* Certification system operated by the Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation
We are developing new energy sources to help in the fight against global warming.
The Sadamisaki Peninsula juts out from westernmost part of the island of Shikoku, and is the narrowest peninsula in Japan. Winds blow across the peninsula almost constantly, as there is no landmass to block the prevailing northwesterlies, and it is thus an ideal location for wind-power generation. In February 2007, the Daiwa House Group*1 completed a wind farm on the peninsula. The wind farm operates nine generators and supplies enough power for around 6,500 households.
In line with our belief that it is the responsibility of every company to help preserve the global environment, we have developed new energy sources as alternatives to fossil fuels. Beginning with the installation in 2000 of wind-power generation equipment at our Zanpamisaki Royal Hotel in Okinawa, we have been promoting the installation of various new forms of energy-sources at our facilities, including wind power, photovoltaic power, and geothermal power. Additionally, our "Kazenagasukujira"*2 small-scale wind-power generator has been adopted by a number of companies and local governments, and the number of units installed continues to increase.
As part of its environmental energy business activities, the Daiwa House Group aims to make a substantial contribution to the fight against global warming through even more aggressive efforts to develop new energy sources.
Notes:
1.The Sadamisaki Peninsula Wind-Power Generation System, operated by Daiwa Energy Co., Ltd.
2.The "Kazenagasukujira" wind-power generation unit was jointly developed with Nikko Company.