PRESS RELEASE
October 25, 2023
School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
Kandenko Co., Ltd.
Kyudenko Corporation
SHINRYO CORPORATIONTaikisha Ltd.
Dai-Dan Co., Ltd.
Takasago Thermal Engineering Co., Ltd.
Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc.
Tonets Corporation
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Systems, Ltd.

Establishment of a Social Corporation Program for Smart
Building Systems by the University of Tokyo and Nine
Private Business Entities
The School of Engineering of the University of Tokyo, in collaboration with Kandenko Co., Ltd.,
Kyudenko Corporation, SHINRYO CORPORATION, Taikisha Ltd., Dai-Dan Co., Ltd., Takasago ThermalEngineering Co., Ltd., Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc., Tonets Corporation, and Mitsubishi
Heavy Industries Thermal Systems, Ltd., will jointly launch the “Smart Building System Research Initiative”
on November 1, 2023. This research initiative aims to expedite the realization of green transformation (GX)
by fostering collaborative research on Smart Building Systems, ultimately aiming for building services
technology to contribute toward achieving GX, including carbon neutrality. Additionally, by promoting theadvancement of academic fields and nurturing talent in smart building systems, we aim to enhance anddeepen engineering capabilities in the field of building services.
Annual energy consumption during the operational phase of buildings constitutes approximately 30–40%
of total societal energy consumption, with a significant portion of energy usage in commercial buildings
attributed to building systems, particularly air conditioning. At the same time, building systems can play a
crucial role in energy conservation by optimizing their operation, harnessing renewable energy sources forgreater self-sufficiency, and contributing to grid stability through demand response mechanisms. Building
systems play a pivotal role in addressing the pressing societal challenge of GX. Moreover, making building
systems smarter is necessary for the effective realization of GX.
To achieve GX, continuous monitoring of indoor conditions and equipment status using high-resolution
sensors, coupled with comprehensive emulation (digital twin cyber system) synchronized with real-world
conditions, is vital. These efforts are essential for offering innovative services and proposing value, such as
creating comfortable human-centric environments, reducing CO2 emissions and costs, and influencing
behavior change. Traditional building systems, often implemented as isolated products lacking detailedemulation, have hindered holistic studies for value creation. However, through the emulation capabilities
developed in this initiative, we can facilitate the creation of diverse services and algorithms and generate
training data for AI, thereby accelerating the transition to smarter buildings while also serving as a catalyst
for establishing new businesses that drive societal transformation.
Through the initiatives undertaken, we will work towards enhancing the value of smart building systems
that cater to diverse needs and explore new markets. Moreover, we are committed to constructing andinstitutionalizing an innovative academic framework for smart building systems, providing a solid foundation
to support the ongoing development and deployment of highly skilled professionals in building and managing
smart building systems.

Making smarter/
Contribution to GX

15:00

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Built-order aspectsof buildingsApp
Absence of killer
application/services

Applicationof initiative
deliverables

Lateral deployment of technology
Comfortableand ultralow energy
operation

Demandresponse

Development of Newapplication/services

Inefficient
operation
Vicious cycle of building systems

AItraining

消費電力 [kW]消費電力量 [kWh]

12:00

12:00

15:00

Estimation of detailed“behavior” usingemulation

Virtuous cycle using initiative deliverables

Social impact of initiative deliverables

Overview of the initiative
Name: Smart Building System Research Initiative
Duration: November 1, 2023~March 31, 2028
Representative instructor: Yasunori Akashi (Professor, Department of Architecture, School of Engineering,
The University of Tokyo)
Comments from the Participating Corporations
Kandenko Co., Ltd.
Guided by Kandenko's founding philosophy, which states that "our own existence signifies the aim forcoexistence with customers and local communities," we have consistently delivered comprehensive
engineering services encompassing planning, design, construction, and maintenance. Our expertise extends
to projects involving building services, electrical work, information and communication infrastructure, andmore. By actively participating in this initiative, we are dedicated to advancing smart building systems,
focusing on cutting-edge sensing technologies, etc. for indoor environments and equipment operation.
Kyudenko Corporation
As a comprehensive building services contractor dedicated to providing extensive support for daily life,
we are actively pursuing sustainability management with a strong commitment to addressing various societal
challenges through our business operations. Through our engagement in this initiative, we will diligently
advance and enhance the relevant technologies. Our goal is to implement intelligent building systems that
can adapt to evolving societal conditions, ultimately working towards carbon neutrality targets.
SHINRYO CORPORATION
We believe that driving GX through the strategic utilization of digital technology in building services isparamount to achieving a carbon-neutral society. The smart building systems at the core of this initiative areexpected to solve social issues by harnessing technology that simultaneously fosters novel value creation anddecarbonization. SHINRYO CORPORATION remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing researchand development towards the realization of a carbon-neutral society, particularly through industry-academia
collaborations within this initiative.

Taikisha Ltd.
We firmly believe that addressing the pressing societal concern of GX necessitates focusing on smart
building systems, particularly those with high energy consumption during the operational phase, such as airconditioning. Within the framework of this initiative, Taikisha is committed to actively contributing to theadvancement of foundational technologies associated with smart building systems. We aim to facilitate theseamless implementation of these systems, including introducing previously unavailable services andgenerating new value.
Dai-Dan Co., Ltd.
Smart buildings, encompassing a wide variety of sensing technologies and sophisticated control systems,
demand integration technology that facilitates seamless cooperation among different building equipment.
Dai-Dan, operating as a comprehensive building services engineering contractor specializing in electrical, airconditioning, and sanitation work, will actively engage in this initiative. Our objective is to advance theintelligence of building systems, thereby making significant contributions to GX within the building servicesindustry.
Takasago Thermal Engineering Co., Ltd.
Currently, commercial buildings are required to be carbon neutral and implement a human-centric
environment. Takasago Thermal Engineering’s mission is to provide “Total carbon neutral solutions” acrossthe entire lifecycle of building equipment for the issues above. These solutions include the development ofenergy control technologies encompassing environmental management, renewable energy creation , anddemand response integrated into the design, construction, and operation of building equipment. As an
Environment-CreatorTM our participation in this initiative is driven by the goal of enhancing the overall valueof buildings and actively contributing to the realization of GX, thereby leading to carbon neutrality in theglobal environment.
Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc.
Given the global proliferation of renewable energy adoption, the adaptability of power control withinbuildings becomes crucial to ensure a reliable power supply. Notably, air conditioning system is expected toplay an even more significant role in this context. The TEPCO Group, as an energy service provider, has
undertaken numerous projects in this domain. Leveraging our extensive expertise, we are committed toactively contributing to the implementation of smart building systems and achieving GX objectives.

Tonets Corporation
Founded in 1937, Tonets is a well-established general engineering contractor specializing in the design,construction, and after-sales maintenance of air conditioning and sanitation systems. In this sector,
technological advancement is crucial to achieve a sustainable global environment. We wholeheartedly
endorse the importance of this initiative, which seeks to establish a shared framework for smart building
systems through collaborative endeavors, as opposed to each entity independently developing its systems, as
has been the practice in the past. We eagerly anticipate our role in contributing to the realization of digital
twins.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Systems, Ltd.
As part of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Group, we are committed to enhancing the quality of life,
particularly in the fields of “cooling and heating,” while concurrently advancing energy efficiency anddecarbonization efforts. Within this initiative, our goal is to disseminate our vision for new markets andfundamental technologies across related industries. We are trying to contribute to the development ofproducts that align with GX objectives by elevating the intelligence of building systems, particularly airconditioning, which accounts for most of the annual energy consumption in buildings.
Contacts for inquiries about this initiative
Public Relations, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
TEL：03-5841-0235 E-mail：kouhou@pr.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Public Relations Team, General Affairs and Legal Department, Kandenko Co., Ltd.
TEL：050-3186-2920
General Affairs Department, Kyudenko Corporation
TEL：092-523-1691
Public Relations Department, SHINRYO CORPORATION
TEL：03-3357-2331
E-mail：koho@shinryo.com
Public Relations Section, Corporate Planning Department, Taikisha Ltd.
TEL：03-5338-5052 E-mail：mailmast@taikisha.co.jp
Corporate Communication Department, Corporate Planning Division, Dai-Dan Co., Ltd.
TEL：03-5276-4568 E-mail：pr@daidan.co.jp

Corporate Communications Center, Takasago Thermal Engineering Co., Ltd.
TEL：03-6369-8215
Public Relations Center, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc.
TEL：03-6373-1111 (main)
Technical Management Headquarters, Tonets Corporation
https://www.tonets.co.jp/contacts/tabid/73/Default.aspx
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Systems, Ltd.
(for media)

Corporate Communication Department, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
E-mail: mediacontact_global@mhi.com(for production customer) https://mth.mhi.com/