Introduction video
of the Smart City Shioashiya “Solar-Shima”
Tucked away in a corner of Ashiya city in Japan’s Hyogo prefecture, Shioashiya is a town designed and developed by PanaHome, a subsidiary housing company of Japanese electronics giant Panasonic.
Shioashiya, which houses 400 detached houses as well as an 83-unit condominium complex, is PanaHome’s first attempt to develop a smart city as an independent project. But this has not stopped it from setting the ambitious aim of wanting to be a net zero energy city.
Launched in 2012, Shioashiya spans about 120,000 square metres, and is designed to accommodate 9,000 people; every house and community facility, as well as the overall town layout, has been designed to reduce energy use and maximize opportunities to use renewable power.
Each house in Shioashiya is fitted with rooftop solar panels, energy storage batteries, and a home energy management system which uses renewable energy when possible, and enables excess energy to be shared with neighboring homes. It also turns off household appliances when they are not in use.
The architecture of the detached houses is also geared towards energy reduction. An insulation technology known as Puretech and an Eco-Navi ventilation system keep the house warm during the summer and cool during the winter, with minimum energy required to do so. PanaHome has also made the condominium complex in Shioashiya net zero-energy through the use of a rooftop solar power system, and fuel cell units installed in each apartment. A fuel cell is a power generator which produces electricity from a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen and it is widely hailed as a cleaner form of energy generation than conventional fossil fuel sources. Thanks to its innovative energy generation infrastructure, the condominium complex generates about 199 megawatt hours of energy per year. This exceeds the entire estate’s energy consumption and the power that is sold back to the grid generates some US$11,700 of annual income for the management association, says PanaHome.
Beyond its residences, the town’s community centre, known as the Solar-Shima Terrace, is also fitted out with a solar system and storage batteries, and the town’s layout itself also helps minimize energy use. This is because it uses an architectural technique known as passive design to make the most of ambient wind, sunlight, and wind — which is abundant, as Shioashiya is located between a sea and mountains — to cool, ventilate, and illuminate buildings in the town.
‘PanaHome solutions such as zero-energy houses, smart home energy management systems and new energy have the potential to help Japan achieve its energy and emissions reductions targets, while offering residents a sustainable, vibrant and holistic community to live in,’ says Kazuhiko Tanaka, managing director of PanaHome Asia Pacific.
‘The technologies showcased in Shioashiya are ideal for scaling up across Japan, and for other Asian countries which are pursuing greater energy efficiency in their cities and buildings,’ Tanaka adds. (Source: Eco-business)
More information on the project can also be found through Panasonic or PanaHome(Japanese notation)
Strategy
Innovativeness
1）What is the origin of this innovative technology/concept?
Smart City Shioashiya is carrying out two endeavors that have never been done before in Japan.
- Aim at net zero energy*1 in the whole town comprising detached houses (about 400 households) and condominiums (83 units), for the first time in Japan.*2
- Mount fuel batteries in all condominiums for the first time in Japan,*3 to enhance energy efficiency.
To realize net zero energy in the whole town, all detached houses are equipped with the Panasonic’s “Energy Creation-storage Linked System for Home” as smart houses. This system is able to suppress peak power as well as secure power in the event of power failure. Meanwhile, all condominiums are also equipped with a fuel battery in each unit. Their roofs are installed with 56 kW solar power to generate power and also indoor 15 kWh large-capacity storage batteries to store these energy. Those generation systems create electric energy equivalent to the total amount of power consumed by the condominiums.
The economic benefits to residents is a feature. Annual lighting and heating*4 costs of the houses can be decreased to about 70,000 yen, while for condominiums to about 60,000 yen less than for general condominiums using electricity and gas. Excess power from generated solar power is sold, providing an annual income of about 1,330,000 yen, which is used as income by the condominium management association.
*1: Energy used and created are offset, and become basically zero.
*2: As of August 2013. Mass detached housing estate exceeding 400 households comprising detached houses and condominiums. (PanaHome survey)
*3: As of August 2013. In condominiums exceeding 80 households (PanaHome survey)
*4: Heating means boiling hot water
2）Is the policy design innovative which can encourage financial support and public-private partnership?
The building of an eco-friendly smart city on reclaimed land in Shioashiya, based on an agreement with Hyogo Prefecture, enhances the appeal of the town itself and will contribute to increased population (Planned population: about 500 households, 1500 persons)
Inspiration
1）Can this idea inspire later/subsequent cases?
In Japan, this idea is already expanding. By 2018, PanaHome aims to make 80% of its newly built houses in ZEH (net zero energy houses),*5 building smart cities in Kusatsu (Shiga Prefecture) and Fujisawa (Kanagawa Prefecture) as well as government-managed ZEH smart houses, and proposing these as standard specifications for detached houses. PanaHome is also building smart condominiums in Tokyo, Osaka, Nara, and other locations, equipped with advanced energy facilities such as solar power generation, storage batteries, and fuel batteries.
*5: Houses in which energy used and created are offset and basically zero.
2）What domains have been enlightened by this policy?
Enlightened are domains building independent towns that locally generate and use energy, and domains building CCP*6 towns, which can sustain life even during disasters, provided that the increased number of smart cities can cut peak power usage by leveling the regional power supply and demand and combining solar power generation with storage batteries.
In addition, by conveying the significance and merits of smart cities to residents and gaining their understanding, it can help foster their energy-saving awareness.
*6: Community Continuity Plan
Clearness
1）Are there any open and transparent channels of public communication?
Smart City Shioashiya is introduced on PanaHome’s website. As for smart condominiums, residents are presently disclosing their household power measurement data to the Japanese government for five years from 2013 to obtain subsidies from the Japanese government and Ministry of the Environment.
2）Are there any differences between this policy and other similar policies?
Led by residents, the whole town comprising smart houses and smart condominiums for 400 households is working on enhancing energy efficiency.
In the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake (March 2011), town management considers safety and peace of mind by incorporating disaster prevention measures in the town planning concept.
Measure
Practicability
1）Has any effective measures for moving ahead been made?
The national policies of the Japanese government promote ZEH in the household sector, which comprises about 30% of the total power consumption in the country. Owners of detached houses and condominiums proposed by PanaHome in accordance with these national policies are eligible for various grants for energy saving equipment such as home energy management systems (HEMS) and solar power generation. In addition to reduced initial costs, the use of energy saving equipment can also reduce operating costs such as lighting and heating expenses, providing not only economic merits but also helping to spread smart houses and smart condominiums.
Since the town of Shioashiya is on the coast, smart condominiums are designated as evacuation areas in the event of disasters such as tsunami. Such aspects not only provide residents with peace of mind but also help promote the project.
2）Are there any numerical goals for reference?
The goal for the whole town is to create 28,700 GJ/year of energy to realize being a net zero energy town (ZET). For each smart house to become ZEH, the goal is to create 56 GJ/year of energy on average.
Replicability
1）Can the ideals, methods or techniques be applied internationally?
This depends on the living standards, energy business, and laws and regulations of the respective countries, but the techniques are applicable. Currently, we are proposing some of our concepts such as town management for use overseas.
2）Are there any specific SOPs or responsible organizations?
Remote control of HEMS-related equipment conforms to protocols of the international standard ECHONET Lite.
PanaHome’s unique efforts include establishing town building guidelines and standard specifications for homes and buildings.
Cost-effectiveness
1）Will it be cost-effective to implement?
According to PanaHome’s unique lighting and heating expenses environment simulation results, the electricity costs of smart houses can be reduced to about 70,000 yen.*7
By using various subsidies, home facility prices can also be reduced.
By installing solar power generation systems in the community center for residents within the smart city, power for two days can be provided in the event of power failures during disasters.
*7: Calculated based on electricity charges as of 2013 (PanaHome survey)
2）Is there any measurable reduction of emissions or energy use?
Calculation data has been obtained from the simulation of the lighting and heating costs environment developed by PanaHome for use in explaining the system to customers.
Smart condominiums residents are currently submitting measured electricity data to the government as a condition for receiving subsidies from 2013 to 2017. PanaHome, however, does not have this information.
Consistency
1）Are adopted measures consistent with energy policies and strategies?
As the housing company of the Panasonic Group, PanaHome has been carrying out its mission to enrich people’s lives by providing homes based on the visions of Panasonic group founder Konosuke Matsushita, which we have inherited for more than 50 years. One such vision is the concept of environmental friendliness. The pursuit of energy efficiency is an important element of this. For this reason, we strive to make each house a smart house and when these houses are grouped together, as a smart city. Our goal is to make such towns net zero energy towns (ZET).
2）Are there any long-term measures or implementing organizations for this project?
Leading the development of Smart City Shioashiya, PanaHome is responsible for town development, as well as the design, construction, and sale of homes. It will also be involved in after-services for homes over the long term.
In establishing town communities, residents set up a corporate “residents management association” and carry out activities to enhance the town’s asset values using their community center, a common asset, as a base. PanaHome-related companies support such activities.
Performance:
Completeness
1）Is the achievement scale measurable?
The lighting and heating costs of each home are calculated from a lighting and heating cost environment simulation to adjust parameters to target values and manage their progress.
2）Will it make considerable success in project goals?
For smart houses, being based on ZEH, it should be possible to basically realize ZEH for each individual home. As of 2016, about 25% of the entire plan (about 110 homes) had been completed. PanaHome will continue sales in the future.
The smart apartments have been completed and PanaHome has sold all 83 units.
Verifiability
1）Are there any data presented to support the project?
For smart houses, the calculation results of lighting and heating cost environment simulation can be provided.
2）Are there any supportive measurements or references for the provided data?
* In the case of standard model plans, calculated by all electric.
* For lighting and heating costs, the unit price at the start of the development project (as of 2013) is shown.
* For the simulation, PanaHome’s calculation program is used.
Impacts
1）Will it make a significant change in the field of energy efficiency and energy savings?
By promoting smart cities, we aim to balance energy efficiency and savings by cutting peak usage of regional power supply and demand, and maximize self-use of regional energy from solar power generation. In the future, we will aim for horizontal expansion of highly universal micro grid systems on a scale of 100 units, and carry out discussions with specialist organizations and others linked to the development.
2）Will it impact multiple operational areas or just one specific area?
Once the micro grid system, currently in the review stage, enters the execution stage, we will also take into account the feasibility of exporting it to regions with weak utility grids inside and outside the country.