For a better home,a better living environmentand better construction

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一般財団法人Center for Better Living

https: // www.cbl.or.jp

Quality Housing Components（BL Components）Certiﬁcation
Housing Components and Related Businesses Development division

BL Components Certiﬁcation System
The BL Components Certiﬁcation System is used to certify applicable housing components as 'Quality
Housing Components (BL Components)' based on certiﬁcation standards for performance (safety,functionality, and durability), production quality, and after-sales service. (There are currently 66 BL certiﬁed
components in use as of July 2024 including kitchen systems, water heaters, windows, and garages etc.).
Housing components with additional features that are designed in particular to meet societal demands
regarding energy conservation, assistance for the elderly, use of housing stock, improvement of crime
prevention and other considerations are certiﬁed as 'BL-bs Components.'

Dissemination of BL Components
The BL label is displayed on BL Components and in catalogs as a symbol of reliability. CBL promotes thedissemination of BL Components through activities conducted in collaboration with certiﬁed companies andrelated industries.

Support with guarantee of quality by BL insurance

ENE-FARM

There are two types of BL insurance, namely warranty liability and indemnity liability, which support theimplementation of liability for damage caused by defects, and defect warranty liability relating to BL
Components' design, manufacturing and the construction of installation work for the components.

Customer services

Customer services(Household fuel cellco-generation system)

Tel 03-5211-0680

CBL accepts inquiries from users relating to matters including after-service and defects concerned with items
such as BL Components. CBL also cooperates with relevant companies and provides support through means
such as introducing appropriate consulting services and repair services, etc., when necessary.

BL label

JIS Certiﬁcation
As a product certiﬁcation body registered in Japan, CBL performs products certiﬁcation following sevenstandards based on the JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) mark system under the Industrial Standardization
Law. There are seven JIS standards applicable such as windows, door sets, sealed insulating glass, and precast
prestressed concrete products etc.

Testing, Assessment, Type approval and Certiﬁcation
Tsukuba Building Research and Testing Laboratory/Housing and Building Evaluation Center

Performance tests for building systems, components and materials
Tsukuba Building Research and Testing Laboratory (TBTL) performs various performance tests and researchfor construction in general such as building materials, parts and the construction methods of structures
including housing components, from the fair and neutral position of a third party as a public test researchorganization.

Assessment (Certiﬁcation of conformity to technical standards)

Main building for testing and research

CBL conducts assessments as a third party to rate conformity with the Building Standards Law and othertechnical standards of building materials and parts, construction methods of structures, and construction
quality.

Relating to the Building Standards Law[Performance evaluation related to approval of construction methods, etc.]
As a designated performance evaluation organization, CBL evaluates performance in 24 classiﬁcations such asﬁreprooﬁng, time history response analysis, wall magniﬁcation of frame constructed walls methods andframework methods, building material quality (including formaldehyde emitting construction material),
elevators and omission of drawing documents for piles.
[Approval of speciﬁc-type components and certiﬁcation of speciﬁc-type housing components manufacturers]
CBL approves compliance with the provisions of laws and standards in the ﬁelds of building parts, ﬁresafeguards, ventilation systems, water supply facilities and elevators as well as certifying the manufacturers ofspeciﬁc-type-approved housing components.

Testing device for bending pile

Relating to the Housing Quality Assurance Act[Tests related to approval of special evaluation methods]
CBL performs tests related to special construction methods etc., as a means of supplementing the evaluation
method standards in the housing performance indication system.
[Approval of speciﬁc-type housing performance and certiﬁcation of speciﬁc-type housing manufacturers]
CBL approves conformity to standards in the performance of standard design (speciﬁc-type-approved)
housing or part as well as certifying the manufacturers of speciﬁc-type-approved housing.

Horizontal heating furnace

Building Conﬁrmation and Inspection, Housing Performance Evaluation, etc.
Housing and Building Evaluation Center

Building conﬁrmation and inspection
As a designated inspection organization, we carry out conﬁrmation inspections, intermediate and ﬁnal
inspections, and provisional use approvals for buildings, etc., in accordance with the Building Standards Act.

Structural calculation review
As a designated structural calculation conformity assessment body, we judge whether the structural designcontents of some buildings subject to building conﬁrmation conform to speciﬁc structural calculation
standards, etc.

Housing performance evaluation(Reinforcement arrangement inspection)

Housing performance evaluation
As a registered housing performance evaluation body, CBL evaluates new and existing housing in accordancewith the evaluation methods speciﬁed in the Housing Performance Indication System. We also conduct
inspections to conﬁrm the long-term use structure, etc., of properties in order to obtain certiﬁcation aslong-term quality homes.

Review of conformity to energy-eﬃciency standards
As a registered energy conservation assessment body and registered energy conservation evaluation body,
we assess the conformity of buildings' energy consumption performance, etc. We also carry out evaluations
related to the environmental performance of buildings, such as BELS (Building Energy Eﬃciency LabelingScheme) and CASBEE (Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Eﬃciency).

Other
CBL undertakes the following assessments etc.
・Certiﬁcation of conformity for the Japan Housing
Finance Agency
・Site inspections for housing defect liability insurance
・Certiﬁcation of Tokyo zero emission house.

・Technical review of new construction plans of low
carbon buildings
・Other non-statutory review, evaluation and inspectionservices.
BELS LabelManagement System Certiﬁcation and Registration
System Certiﬁcation and Registration Center

ISO management system certiﬁcation and registration
We provide ISO certiﬁcation services, inspecting the construction and operation of systems and registering
them based on the international standard ISO management system, which is used to improve themanagement structure and level of management at organizations (companies, etc.).
[ISO 9001 (Quality management system)]ISO 9001 is a management system governing a consistent supply of products and services of a quality thatmeets customers' and society's requirements.
[ISO 14001 (Environmental management system)]ISO 14001 is a management system for identifying and appropriately controlling the causes of environmental
damage.
[ISO/IEC 27001 (Information security management system (ISMS))]
ISO/IEC 27001 is a management system for identifying information resources such as personal data andmaintaining their conﬁdentiality. Also, as an expanded standard, CBL support Privacy information
Management Systems (PIMS) and ISMS Cloud Security Certiﬁcation, and have established a system to provide
a wide range of certiﬁcation services related to the information security ﬁeld.
[ISO45001 (Occupational Health & Safety Management System)]ISO 45001 is a management system used to evaluate and manage occupational safety risks in work activities
in order to prevent or otherwise minimize the occurrence of occupational accidents.

In October 2020, CBL declared in collaboration with the Association of Living Amenity that they
will contribute to the achievement of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) advocated by
the United Nations through the development, supply, dissemination and so forth of quality
housing components that contribute to the realization of safety, security and comfortable living
lifestyles over the course of 10 years of business activities.

Certiﬁcate
registration
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Certiﬁcation markSupport for Formation and Utilization of Quality housing stock
Housing Components and Related Businesses Development division/ Public Relations and Information Group

Information management related to housing and housing components
CBL manages traceability information to identify dwelling units installed with products for housing
components that require regular inspection and replacement.
Provid es an information system where housing history information such as repair records, design drawing
documents used when existing housing is bought and sold, and renovation or maintenance management for
housing inspection and repairs can be stored and browsed.

Iekarute (housing history information)logo

Promotion of housing renovation
CBL cooperates with the 'Better Life Reform Association' and promotes housing renovation to achieve a safe,
secure and convenient life for consumers through initiatives aimed at improving the reliability, proposal
making ability and technical capability of small to medium-sized renovation businesses in the region.
As part of these initiatives, CBL assists housing renovation business operators by providing services that
include a better life housing renovation advisor registration system and a renovation work quality
examination registration system.
The Better Life housing renovation
advisor registration system

Surveys, Research, Dissemination of Technology and related activities
Sustainable Living Research Center/ Tsukuba Building Research and Testing Laboratory

Surveys and Research
At the request of public institutes and companies or in its role as a foundation, CBL independently performss
investigations and research to contribute towards achieving sustainable housing and lifestyles, develops neww
construction methods and also performs technical investigations and research from the perspective off
energy saving and disaster prevention, etc., and then transmits this information.

Building technology review and certiﬁcation
In order to examine the various new technologies related to housing, etc., developed in the private sector,
and to promote its dissemination, CBL evaluates the relevant technology from a fair and neutral perspective
perspective and creates examination certiﬁcates and associated reports.

Performs housing and construction related information exchange,technical exchange and conducts training courses

Research leaﬂet・CBL transmits information useful for the lives of consumers using results from surveys and research relating
to housing and housing components. Also, CBL performs tasks such as exchanging information with aﬃliatecompanies based on these results and contributes towards growth in the housing industry.
・We hold lectures and technical presentations being a venue for disseminating information to people in thehousing and construction-related industries.

International exchange
CBL aims to exchange and collaborate with related organizations both domestically and internationally forthe purpose of international exchange in the housing and construction ﬁeld and also performs activities suchas participating in international conferences and accepting training or research groups from overseas.

Bulletin of TBTLThe 'Blue & Green project' disseminates energy

Following the tree-planting activities in Vietnam, CBL

conservation type gas water heaters and heating

is supporting the restoration activities in Takada

appliances to households in Japan, and at the same

Matsubara (Rikuzentakada city, Iwate Prefecture)time, supports planting trees as an activity thatwhich was destroyed by a tsunami resulting from thecontributes to the environment. CBL is promoting theGreat East Japan Earthquake.

project in cooperation with the Japanese gas industry.

ガスで森検索https://www.gasdemori.jp/

Center for Better Living provides security, safety and reliability through its
standards certification and test research relating to housing and buildings.
CBL, as a fair and neutral third-party organization, faithfully carries out the design,
construction, evaluation and registration of parts and materials for homes andother architectural structures, as well as research and studies.
As Japanese society has a decreasing and elderly population, initiatives are urgently
being sought to deal with the decreasing birth rate and aging population, as well as
the state of housing and construction, such as achieving goals toward theconstruction of a decarbonized society and the preservation of safety and security
in the face of increasingly severe natural disasters.
At CBL, we will utilize the expertise and strengths we have cultivated as a standards
certiﬁcation, testing and research organization to create various values throughcollaboration with various entities and contribute to the realization of a sustainablesociety.

Jun Manabe, President

History
1973

Approval granted by the Ministry of Construction (MOC), established as a foundation, the 'Jyutaku Buhin Kaihatsu Center'.

1974

Designated as a Quality Housing Component Certifying Organization by the MOC.
（In 1987, CBL inherited the "Excellent Housing Components Certiﬁcation System" from the Ministry of Construction.）

1981

Opening of the Performance Test Laboratory (from 2008「Tsukuba Building Research and Testing Laboratory」) in Tsukuba city.

1988

The name of the foundation changed to 'Better Living'.

1989

Designated as a Performance Test Organization for sound insulation by the MOC.

1996Establishment of the System Certiﬁcation and Registration Center oﬀering services for certiﬁcation and registration of ISO9001,
ISO14001management system.

2000

Designated as a Performance Evaluation Body and Approval Body under the Building Standards Law by the MOC.
Also Registered as a Housing Performance Evaluation Body under the Housing Quality Assurance Act by the MOC.

2002

Designated as a Conﬁrmation and Inspection Body under the Building Standards Law by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure,
Transport and Tourism (MLIT).

2007

Started Structural calculation review services under the Building Standards Law.

2008

Establishment of Sustainable Living Research Center.

2011

Changeover into a general incorporated foundation in accordance with the reform of the public-interest corporation system.

2015

Opening of the Nagoya Test Laboratory (Nagoya Lab) in Midori-ku, Nagoya city as a branch of the Tsukuba Building Research and Testing Laboratory.

2016

Opening of the Structural Safety Judgment Branch in Naka-ku, Nagoya city, which performs structural calculation review services.

2017

Registered with the MLIT as an 'Energy-saving review body andan 'Energy-saving evaluation body' under the Building Energy Eﬃciency Act.

2022Opening of the Structural Safety Judgment Branch in Aoba-ku, Sendai city, which performs structural calculation review services.

2024

Opening of the Structural Safety Judgment Branch in Chuo-ku, Osaka city, which performs structural calculation review services.

About the Foundation's mid-term plan (2024-2028)
The Center for Better Living Foundation has established a ﬁve-year mid-term plan to set out the goals and businessdevelopment of the foundation's operations and to provide mid-term guidance. We have now launched the fourth
mid-term plan, which will run from ﬁscal year 2024 to ﬁscal year 2028. The key points are as follows:Ⅰ．
Accelerating GX eﬀorts to realize CN2050
Ⅱ．
Maximizing eﬀectiveness in meeting customer needs through thorough digital transformation, etc.
Ⅲ．
Thoroughly improving human resource development and working environment,
and strengthening management foundation

Please visit our website for further details

Headquarters

O ku

C2bo D

C14, 6 and 7F Stage Building, 2-7-2 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Center for
Better LivingstahiasabIidTEL +81 3-5211-0556 FAx +81 3-5211-0548

Wex e sit tJR

B2a

By train: 3 min. from Iidabashi sta. (JR, Metro).

System Certification and Registration Center (4F)TEL +81 3-5211-0608

Sustainable Living Research Center (4F)TEL +81 3-5211-0585

Public Relations and Information Group (6F)TEL +81 3-5211-1402

General, Financial Affairs and Planning Group (6F)TEL +81 3-5211-0556

Nippon Dental University

College at Tokyo
Policesub-station
Tokyo Daijingu(shrine)
Chur
ChurchWasedaDori
Sakura(St .)Terraceta

TEL +81 3-5211-0578

JJRR
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Housing and Building Evaluation Center (7F)Oﬃcebuilding
2FResidentialbuilding

Office entrance enlarged map
Building Research Institute

Tsukuba Building Research and Testing
Laboratory (TBTL)

Nishi odori iriguchi sq.

Public Works Research Institute
Tsukuba Building Researchand Testing Laboratory of CBL

408

2, Tachihara, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0802 JAPAN

Hiratsuka dori nishi sq.

To Akihabara

By train: Tsukuba Express (TX) , Get off at Tsukuba sta. thentake 'Tsuku bus' bound for Tsukubasanguchi (15 min.) and get off atTsukuba Chuo IC
C'Oohomadoguchi center', 10 min. on foot. Or 15 min. by taxi fromTsukuba sta.
By car: Joban Expressway; Approx.15 km from Yatabe Interchange

Yatabe IC[I.C.] or Sakura-Tsuchiura I.C. bound for Gakuentoshi. KenohExpressway; Approx.10 km from Tsukuba Chuo I.C. along route 408.

Nishi Odori (St.)

Tsukuba sta.

Tsukubakuba Express (TX)
T

SakuraTsuchiura IC

Hitachino Ushiku sta.

TEL +81 52-212-9056 FAX +81 52-212-9057

Meitetsu seto Line (Metro)
Sakaecho sta.
Aichi Arts Center(Subway Higashiyama line or Meijo line)

LACHIC

Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance
Family Mart Hirokoji dori
Seven Eleven
Naka-ku Ward Office
Tokyu Hotel
ChunichiStructural Safetybuilding
Judgment Oﬃce
(2F Showa bldg.)
1213

Buhei dori

Mitsukoshi
Department store

Higashiyama Line (Metro) NIshiki dori (St.)

Hisaya oodori

Meijo Line (Metro)
Hisaya oodori

2F Showa bldg. 4-3-26, Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 460-0008 JAPANTo Nonami
Sakura-dori Line (Metro)
Tokushige sta.

By train: 10 min. from Tokushige sta.
(Subway Sakura-dori line)
By car: Nagoya-Daini-Kanjo Expressway: 1.5 km fromNarumi Interchange (IC), turning left at Tokushige crossing on
prefectural road 56.

Subway Midosuji Line, Honmachi Station, Exit 3, 3 minute walk
3 minute walk from Exit 15 of Sakaisuji Honmachi Station on theSakaisuji Line

Tokushige

To Kasadera
Aoki SoftBank

San jyu sanBank
36

Yokoi Crane
Sanaru prep school
Noodlerestaurant
To Shirotsuchi
Kumanomaenishi

CoCo Ichibankan
Tokushigedentist

56

Nagoya Lab
To Midorigaoka Park

Resona Bank
Exit 3

Mizuho Bank,
Semba Branch
Honmachi-suji Str.

HOTEL MYSTAYS
Midosuji Honmachi

Exit 15

Shikoku Bank,Osaka Branch

Subway Sakaisuji Line

Semba Central Building 5F, 2-6-8 Honmachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka City,Osaka Prefecture, 541-0053 JAPANTEL +81 6-7176-3794 FAX +81 5-6252-8866

HIlls
WalkExit2

Subway Midosuji Line

Osaka Structural Safety Judgment Oﬃce

Arakawaoki sta.

Tsukuba Ushiku IC

Don Quijote
Sakae sta.

By train: 5 min. from Sakae sta.

Tsukuba Center
Tsuchiura sta.

To UenoNagoya Structural Safety Judgment Oﬃce

1-101, Kamegahora, Midori-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 458-0804 JAPANTEL +81 52-879-2151 FAX +81 52-879-2153

baGeographical Survey Institute

TEL +81 29-864-1745 FAX +81 29-864-2919

Nagoya Test Laboratory (Nagoya Lab)

A4.

Tokyo MetroIidabashi
abashi sta.
(Exit B2a2aNanbokuoku LLinne,Yurakuchoakuc o Line)elevator from the second floor.)

Tok MetroTokyoIidadabashi sta.
(Exit A4A4, Tozai Line)
MeA5
FamilyMart
jiroDori (St .)Sant Marc Cafe
Stage Buildin
BuildingE
ex as tit

(Elevator hall is on the second floor. Please come to the office by

TEL +81 3-5211-0665

Toei Subwayubway Iidabashi sta.
O do Line(St . Oedo)
To OchanomizuA2102-0071 JAPANHousing Components and Related Businesses (4Development division (6F)or i

Structural Safety
Judgment Oﬃce
（Semba Central Building 5F）

Honmachi
StationSubway Chuo Line

Sakaisuji Honmachi
Station2024.7