Sustainable architecture is one of the many ways the world is trying to fight climate change and protect the environment. The main aim behind this architectural method is to enable people to save energy, conserve resources such as water, and minimize their ecological footprint.
Japan has been at the forefront of the so-called sustainable or green building movement due to its technological advancement and dedication to environmental conservation.
This article will delve into details about the green building market and sustainable architecture in Japan, expounding on issues like market size and tendencies, key players as well as start-ups, latest innovations, pertinent certifications and important events such as trade fairs.
The sustainable architecture market in Japan has witnessed massive growth over the past decade, a trend expected to continue until 2023, with its estimated worth at around $25 billion.
Various factors such as government regulation, corporate commitment, and public awareness about environmental concerns have stimulated this growth so far. The increased public understanding has seen the government of Japan tightening regulations and providing incentives to promote environment-friendly construction practices.
The green building industry in Japan has seen steady growth in the past years, driven by several trends:
Urbanization and Population Density: Increasing need for housing in urban areas, paired with Japan’s limited natural resources has fueled the demand for energy-efficient buildings.
Technological Advancements: Technological advancements such as innovations in materials, systems of construction, and building management have made sustainable architecture cheaper to construct.
Government Policies: The Japanese government has introduced initiatives seeking to reduce carbon emissions and creating eco-friendly buildings. Important examples are policies such as ‘Act on Rational Use of Energy’ and ‘Basic Act on Energy Policy’ to curb carbon emissions and promote energy-efficient buildings.
Public Awareness: In recent times, people have increasingly gained awareness of climate change as well as environmental issues. With summers in cities like Tokyo becoming uncomfortably hot in recent years, public demand for green buildings has increased.
The green building market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.5% between 2024 and 2030. This growth is to occur due to green building projects, advances in sustainable technologies, and government incentives.
For Japan, in specific, the market it poised to grow at a CAGR of 3% by 2028, and considering the Japan green building market size of $3.57 billion in 2023, the possibilities are endless, all in a
For Japan, in specific, the market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3% by 2028, and considering the Japan green building market size of $3.57 billion in 2023, the possibilities are endless, all in a commitment by the whole world towards sustainability.
The reason for this projected growth is partly due to the consequences of non-sustainable architecture, as utilized in the last couple of decades especially. These are starting to rear up and impact the world at large. With rising awareness of this unfortunate reality, a boost in the sustainable architecture economy is foreseen in the coming decade.
Several leading companies have emerged in Japan that are driving its sustainable architecture and green building industry:
Taisei Corporation: Taisei has been an early adopter of green construction with its innovative and environmentally friendly projects enabling it to focus on minimizing the total environmental impacts of their buildings through energy-efficient design and the use of eco-friendly materials.
Takenaka Corporation: Equally important, Takenaka is leading in green building efforts as it incorporates renewable energy sources into its projects and embraces sustainable practices. It has erected many LEED-certified buildings, showing its strong commitment to sustainability.
Kajima Corporation: Kajima is famed for its sustainability solutions, with the company stressing advanced technology as a basis that ensures energy-efficient and green buildings.
Besides these established companies, several start-ups and emerging companies are making remarkable contributions to the Japanese green building market and sustainable practices. Mentionable examples include MUJI House and Biomason Japan.
MUJI House: The company has carved a niche for itself by designing houses that have minimalism and sustainability at their core. It focuses on creating affordable, eco-friendly homes. In addition, the materials used to make their designs are sustainable and environmentally friendly, too.
Biomason Japan: This particular startup specializes in providing sustainable construction materials. Biomason Japan has developed methods for using biological processes to grow concrete, leading to reduced carbon emissions and environmentally friendly building practices.
The green concrete market in Japan has lately seen incredible advancements across the country. This is because of the realization that traditional construction materials impact the environment negatively and need to be reduced.
Green concrete uses recycled materials and other innovative processes and components that reduce carbon emissions throughout the entire building process.
Among such innovative companies is Biomason Japan, which employs biological processes to develop a unique type of concrete that lasts long and is affordable.
There are also other essential Japanese sustainable design techniques, supported by Japanese architects and designers who constantly expand boundaries for sustainable design. Some of these include:
Passive House Design: Passive House design methodology emphasizes energy efficiency through natural ventilation, insulation, and solar orientation. As a result, passive houses require little energy for heating or cooling, thus having much lower environmental impacts.
Vertical Greenery: Another innovative, sustainable architectural solution is vertical greenery, which includes plants and green areas in buildings’ facades and roofs. It contributes to air freshening, minimizes heat island effects, and enhances urban aesthetics.
Modular Construction: Finally, modular construction techniques are also popular because they allow for fast and efficient building processes with less waste, which is good for sustainability. In this, prefabricated modules are produced off-site and assembled on-site, reducing construction time and environmental impact.
The incorporation of renewable energy into environmental architecture is an important aspect of Japan's sustainable development. Buildings are usually powered by solar panels, wind turbines, and geothermal systems.
For instance, solar panels are widely used to trap the ample sunlight on many parts of Japan. Photovoltaic systems have been installed on rooftops and facades and integrated into construction materials like solar tiles, playing an important role in sustainable architecture.
The second option is wind turbines, another alternative to renewable energy in Japan. Although less common than photovoltaic modules, smaller-scale wind turbines are increasingly planned for architectural designs, mainly in regions with consistent winds.
Thirdly, geothermal systems are Japan's third-biggest choice for green buildings. These provide a source for heating and cooling using naturally occurring heat from beneath the earth’s crust.
This has a lot of potential, given that there is a lot of geothermal activity in Japan. Geothermal heat pumps reduce energy consumed by temperature controls and hence are ideal for green building projects.
The use of smart technology in Japan is another development that has revolutionized sustainable architecture. There are building management systems (BMS) and the Internet of Things (IoT) for real-time monitoring and control of energy use, water consumption, and indoor air quality.
Resource utilization is optimized, human comfort enhanced, and smart buildings' operational expenses are reduced. In Tokyo, many buildings have taken measures to monitor their energy consumption using IoT sensors which has saved them huge amounts of energy.
This is achieved through sensors collecting data from different parameters, which leads to automatic adjustments for more efficient use of power, hence avoiding energy waste. With the inclusion of intelligent technological applications, Japanese eco-friendly constructions can set new benchmarks for environmental friendliness, efficiency, and convenience.
There are numerous events focusing on sustainable architecture and green buildings in Japan. Below are some of the most important ones you should consider if you are planning to enter the Japanese market.
EcoPro: The largest environmental exhibition in Japan is EcoPro. It exhibits the newest sustainable designs, green building materials, and environment-friendly technologies. In this way, the event attracts professionals from around the world including industry professionals, researchers, and policymakers.
Japan Home & Building Show: The other one is the Japan Home and Building Show, which showcases products and services that pertain to sustainable construction, such as green building materials, energy-efficient systems, and smart technology. This event provides great opportunities for industry networking and for discussing business opportunities with potential partners.
Smart Building Expo: On another note, there is the Smart Building Expo, which aims at integrating new technology into sustainable architecture. Here, you can learn about the latest developments in building management systems, IoT, and energy-saving solutions with significant participation of architects, engineers, and technological providers.
Certifications are important, promoting and ensuring sustainable architecture and green building practices. They provide a reference point for environmental performance. This encourages companies to make sustainable choices.
For consumers, these documents guarantee that buildings are highly energy efficient, sustainable, and have minimum environmental impacts. Certified buildings command a premium in terms of market price and attract tenants and buyers who are environmentally aware and conscious about energy consumption.
In Japan, there are two certifications that should specifically be kept in mind when considering the idea of sustainable architecture.
The first is CASBEE, Japan's national certification system. It helps evaluate buildings based on environmental performance and sustainability, which means it scores based on factors like energy efficiency, resource use, and indoor environment quality.
This certification is a reliant and trustworthy way to showcase the overall sustainability of buildings. The ratings are easy to understand, ranging from "C" (poor) to "S" (excellent).
The second important certification is the “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” certification, AKA LEED. It is an international certification which is used widely to evaluate most Japanese structures. It helps recognize internationally that buildings meet high environmental and sustainability standards.
This includes an in-depth assessment, as the building’s sustainability is tested throughout different aspects – energy efficiency, water use, materials, and indoor environmental quality. Based on the results from this assessment, the building's can then prove themselves worthy of the different levels of certification, from ‘Certified’ to ‘Platinum’.
Japan’s sustainable architecture market has been increasing steadily in the past few years. Favorable trends such as government regulation, corporate commitment, public awareness and technological advancements have helped this industry to grow rapidly.
Several successful businesses, including startups, are developing eco-friendly and innovative methods to solve environmental challenges, finding ways to reduce the ecological footprint and encourage sustainability.
Certifications such as CASBEE and LEED help to popularize the adoption of sustainable solutions among corporate organizations. Further, events like EcoPro, Japan Home & Building Show, and Smart Building Expo are important in catalyzing green building movements.
Although the opportunities are promising, Japan is known to be a tough country to enter. When it comes to entering the Japanese market, GlobalDeal is your go-to partner. Our all-encompassing solutions cover everything from the localization and development of digital products to creating effective business and marketing strategies tailored for Japan. We also facilitate connections with local business partners to enhance your market presence. For a free consultation and to explore how we can support your expansion efforts, get in touch with us today!
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