Environmental
Report2023

Abridged Version

Message from the President
FUJISAWA Masato, President
April

2005:	Professor, Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe University
February 2014:	Director, Kobe University Hospital
February 2018:	Executive Assistant to the President,
Kobe University
April
2019:	Dean, School and Graduate School of
Medicine, Kobe University
April
2021:	President of Kobe University

This year marks the 120th anniversary of Kobe University
since its establishment in 1902 as Kobe Commercial HighSchool, the first institution of higher education in Hyogo Prefecture. Since its opening, Kobe University has been committed to its mission of creating “knowledge” with universal
values and fostering human resources with a strong senseof humanity under the spirit of “sincerity, freedom, and cooperation” in accordance with its philosophy of “harmony
between academic principles and practical application”.
Today, the world is facing countless challenges suchas the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, climatechange, issues relating to the environment and energy,
poverty, gender inequality, international conflicts, healthand welfare issues, and many others, which pose increasingly serious threats to the sustainability of the Earth andhumanity. Therefore, based on the latest information andcutting-edge technology, we must always be aware of the
global challenges we face today and work together withpeople of all generations and with diverse values to raiseawareness of these issues, find solutions, and pave theway for a future society 10 to 20 years from now with a viewto achieving the SDGs.
Accordingly, to promote initiatives aimed at achieving theSDGs in a wide range of fields across the university basedon achievements made through the interdisciplinary andnew academic fields that transcend the boundaries of thehumanities and sciences, our university will strive to share
the philosophy behind the SDGs in partnership with local
communities and industry and to widely disseminate theresults of these initiatives both domestically and internationally. Following a declaration in 2019 and the establishment of the SDGs Promotion Office in February 2020, ouruniversity is striving to create new values and implement
knowledge to solve societal issues.

Moreover, environmental issues such as global warming
and climate change caused by greenhouse gases havebeen attracting worldwide attention for a considerable time,
prompting research and development of various measuresand fundamental technologies, including low-carbon, decarbonization, carbon neutral, zero-carbon, and carbon offsetting technologies, as well as the design and introductionof systems at various levels to resolve these issues. While
global efforts are obviously necessary to address theseenvironmental issues, it is also essential that each of us
takes a proactive stance in doing what we can to address
them. To this end, it is important to first have an accurate
understanding of these issues and concepts. Against thisbackdrop, Kobe University decided to establish a Carbon Neutrality Promotion Division in October 2022, andhas agreed to conclude a “Comprehensive Collaborative
Agreement on the Promotion of a Decarbonized Society”
with Hyogo Prefecture, Kobe Shimbun newspaper, theInstitute for Global Environmental Strategies, and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. Under the agreement,
the signatories will work together to utilize their knowledge
and technologies to build momentum for decarbonization
among businesses and residents of the prefecture, which
will contribute to revitalize the local economy and go
strengthen competitiveness.
In the future, we will continue to deepen our cross-boundary interactions with various stakeholders, collaborate witheveryone who is attached to and cares about Kobe University, and unite as ONE KOBE FAMILY to be a world-classadvanced research university that can become a center ofknowledge that co-creates with global society and moves
toward a bright future. We look forward to your continued
support and cooperation.

Message from the Director of the Center for Environmental Management
Courage to do two things at the same time
MORI Atsunori, Director of the Center for Environmental Management
The Center for Environmental Management of Kobe Univeristy was established in 1976 as the Kobe University
Water Quality Control Center, a university-wide joint facility.
It was reorganized in 1994, before adopting its current
structure in 2004. The Center has been involved in supporting Kobe University’s research infrastructure, including
the disposal of chemicals, collection and treatment of liquid
waste, and wastewater management, as well as promoting environmental awareness in various fields throughon-campus environment-related education and the promotion of energy conservation within the university. In recent
years, we have also been involved in the activities of theKobe University Carbon Neutral Promotion Headquarters,
which was established in 2022 to help Kobe University
achieve a 46% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by
2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050, as specified by theJapanese government.
At first glance, achieving energy savings and promoting
aggressive research activities seem contradictory. Energy
conservation means living a modest life with as little energy
emissions as possible, whereas the more advanced theresearch, the more energy is required for its development.
Of course, curtailing research activities due to the reductionof energy consumption would lead directly to the decline of
the university and is not a viable option. I would like to seeboth sides achieve significant progress, not through compromises and minor achievements, but through innovative,
breakthrough approaches.
I believe there are many ambitious people in the university
community. Although there is a saying that “Those whochase two hares will catch none,” let’s try to catch both haresby combining the wisdom and ingenuity of the university.

Charter on Environment
Kobe University established a Charter on Environment on September 26, 2006 and carries out various environmental conservation activities based on its
basic philosophy and policies. The environmental and energy-saving efforts of the university are summarized in an annually publicized environmental report.
Basic Philosophy
As a world-class center for research and education, Kobe University endeavors to advance initiatives that address two crucial issues of our time: environmental conservation and the creation of a sustainable society.
This university is committed to building pathways towards the realization of a sustainable society, something that remains a shared goal for humanity. To dothis, we are utilizing the local environment enclosed by mountains and oceans to cultivate capable, environmentally-aware individuals. We regularly publicize academic information from the cosmopolitan city of Kobe to the rest of the world, and we are leading the way in environmental conservation efforts.
Basic Policies
1. Cultivation and support of individuals with a strong environmental awarenessA university’s greatest obligation is the cultivation of people. We continuously revise our educational programs in order to foster the development of individuals who are always conscious of the global environment and the impact of their behavior. By combining knowledge of the humanities, social sciences,and natural sciences, and collaborating with global and local society, we strive to cultivate highly compassionate individuals who possess a thoroughunderstanding of the environment.
2. Promotion of research to preserve and manage the global environment
It is necessary to consolidate the results of numerous research studies in order to overcome the various challenges facing the world, conserve the Earth’s
environment and create sustainable societies. We promote research into environmental problems in individual fields as well as interdisciplinary researchthat combines related fields, and strive to disseminate the results both locally and globally.
 e also support efforts to produce research results that are strongly connected to advancing international society and local communities.
W
3. Taking a leading role in the promotion of environmental conservation activitiesE ach individual’s behavior is crucial for conserving the Earth’s environment. Through our daily activities, we protect the environment, make efficient use ofenergy and natural resources, and rigorously manage dangerous substances, thus setting an example as an environmentally-conscious campus.
F urthermore, we disclose information about our environmental conservation activities, continuing to make improvements through communication withthose involved.

••

Environment-related Education, Research and Topics
TopicsFULL P.8

TopicsFULL P.10

Environmental education based on the Environmental Report

Reports of Carbon Neutral Promotion Headquaters

To raise awareness of the Environmental Reports of this university among
the campus community, and to gather opinions and feedback from students
to guide the creation of future environmental reports and environmental
conservation activities, we have been holding these events since the 2011
academic year. Since 2014, some coursework such as report assignments
and short tests has been based on environmental reports during classes inthe subject “introductory environmental studies.”
An Environmental Management Guidebook, featuring details about the Charter on Environment of Kobe University and efforts and rules for environmental
management, has been released to the public.

TAMAKI Hisashi, Director, Carbon Neutral Promotion Headquaters

Global environmental issues represent one of the largest global challenges ofthis century. The Center for Environmental Management offers classes on “introductory environmental
studies A/B” as university-wide common subjects.
This year, KAMIO Eiji, Deputy Director of the Center
for Environmental Management, has been assigned
as a new instructor to teach the subject “Efforts to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” which covers
global warming-related issues and efforts to control
the increase in atmospheric CO2 concentrations.

(1) Signing “Comprehensive Cooperative Agreement for Advancing a Decarbonized Society”
	Kobe University, in partnership with Hyogo Prefecture, Kobe Shimbun
newspaper, IGES, and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, has signed
the “Comprehensive Cooperative Agreement for Advancing a Decarbonized Society.” Under this agreement, these five key parties will collaborate
to contribute to the revitalization of the local economy and enhancementof competitiveness.
(2) Carbon Neutral Promotion Headquaters Hosted Kickoff Meeting “Fun andEasy Carbon Neutrality”	We held its kickoff meeting on March 17, 2023, at V.School in the Chobo-kan of Kobe University, using a hybrid format of both in-person andonline participation.
	The meeting aimed to facilitate open discussion on various topics related to carbon
neutrality, including envisioning a future
beyond carbon neutrality, as well as activities and research for coexisting with global
warming. It served as a platform to deepen
understanding about carbon neutrality.

Topics

Education“Introductory environmental studies” subject

FULL P.9

The activities of the Kobe University Environment Club Ecofuru

Creating posters for environment month and developing environmental
learning content, etc.
ONO Takashi, Environmental Planning Coordinator, Office of
Safety and Health/Environmental Management
1. Poster production for Environment Month	For Environment Month (June), the club created a poster
with the message that the environment includes not only
natural beauty but also places that have been polluted byhuman activities. The poster was sent to all departments
at Kobe University.
2. Creation of environmental learning resources	The club developed e-learning content entitled “Reduce Food Loss!” and isplanning to create more content with various themes in the future for more
people to view based on points requiring improvement.
3. Participation in events related to SDGs
Members of the Ecofuru group took part aspanelists in a corporate lecture on SDGs.
As members of the Environment Club, they
actively asked questions and engaged in discussions about the lecture content, and felt that they were able to deepen
their knowledge of environmental issues from a corporate perspective.

FULL P.11

Student Projects for Creating ValueTAMAKI Hisashi, Dean, Value School
Eco-Friendly Vegie Initiative	The students visited JA (Japan Agricultural Cooperative) stores selling organic vegetables and conducted surveys on the perceived value of theseproducts.
	The results revealed differences in the awareness and appreciation of organic vegetables between the sellers and the farmers. To Adress this, thestudents organized an event aimed at communicating the value of organic
vegetables to the younger generation, who are generally less interested inthis topic.
Sweet Rescue: Zero-Waste Confectionery Project	The students addressed the issue of foodloss by focusing on food products nearing
their expiration dates. Through engaging
with individuals working in the field of foodloss, they gained insights into various unrecognized consumer issues and reflectedon the potential value derived from reduc- Students at 078KOBE Assess
ing food waste.
the Potential of Soon-to-Expire Sweets to Help Reduce
Food Waste*For details, please see the Environmental Report 2023 on the Kobe University website. (Page numbers at the top indicate the page number in the full version.)

Environment-related Education, Research and Topics
Education

FULL P.12

Project-based learning“Future and Energy”
GION Keiko, Associate Professor, Value School
TSURUTA Hiroki, Associate Professor, Value School
FUJII Nobutada, Professor, Value School
The Japanese government has declared“Net-zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by2050” and is accelerating the introductionof renewable energy. Similarly, the U.S.
state of Hawaii passed a bill in 2015 toreach 100% renewable energy generation
by 2045, reducing its reliance on imported
fossil fuels and actively promoting renewable energy initiatives. In response to thesedevelopments, we are conducting an educational program to identify and analyze
various emerging challenges. Our goal is tocollaboratively envision a sustainable future,and to design and execute energy projects
and strategies that align with this vision.

Students at the Future Foresight Workshop

Touring the Waste-to-Energy
Plant

Education

FULL P.13

Kelp forests and blue carbon
KAWAI Hiroshi, Project Professor, Research Center for Inland Seas
In the past few years, kelp forests have attracted attention not only as a component of coastal ecosystems, but also as a place to absorb, fix, and store
greenhouse gases (CO2) that cause global climate change. In other words, it
is important to conserve and utilize mangroves and coastal wetlands as sinks
for greenhouse gases, along with forests and other terrestrial ecosystems.
However, topics related to carbon credits, which lead to the greenhouse gas
emission rights industry, have taken the lead, and not enough information isavailable on the characteristics of coastal ecosystems and their relationshipto CO2 absorption mechanisms andbiodiversity, which are the basis forunderstanding the issue. Therefore, I
was requested by the Environmental
Innovation Information Center (EIC)
to contribute a web article explaining
topics and trends in environmental
issues, and I published a commentary
titled “Blue carbon and the roles ofkelp forest ecosystems” in the section
Schematic diagram of blue carbon intitled “Environmental Wind”.
a temperate coastal zone

ResearchResearch

FULL P.15

Study on classification methods of electricity consumption in university buildings by temporal characteristics
TAKEBAYASHI Hideki, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Engineering
It is important to understand the actual state of energy consumption to assess energy
conservation measures during building operation. In this study, we analyzed the measured
power consumption of each Kobe University building and examined methods to statisticallyclassify the existing power consumption at different times of day. As a result, we identified
the following clusters at manymeasurement locations: weekday cluster that includes many
weekdays, holiday cluster that
includes many weekends and national holidays, and a cluster that Figure 1: Cluster classification Figure 2: Cluster classification
for the Science andresult for the Academia Hall
includes many weather conditions result
Technoiogy Reserch Building 3
that cause large heating and cooling loads, such as daily averagetemperatures of 27°C or higher or
10°C or lower. Our future task is
to select the appropriate energy
conservation measures based on
the electricity consumption char- Figure 3: Cluster classification result for Figure 4: Cluster classification
the Information Science and Technoio- results for measured locations
acteristics of each building.
gy Center (Main Building)

Other

FULL P.16

Kobe University Ranked 101-200th in the Worldand 3rd in Japan in THE Impact Ranking 2022
Office for Promoting SDGs
In THE Impact Ranking 2022, Kobe University was ranked 101-200 out of
1,406 institutions worldwide in the overall ranking. In Japan, Kobe University
ranked third among four other universities.
Kobe University will continue to promote measures to achieve the SDGs
through collaboration with the local community and industry.

Details of Kobe University’s rank andscore in THE Impact Ranking 2022

SDGs item

world ranking

score

Overall

101-200

88

2. Zero hunger

25

79.8

3. Good health and well-being

201-300

73.3

8. Decent work and economic growth201-300

64.3

9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure

101-200

80.8

11. Sustainable cities and communities

101-200

74.1

12. Responsible consumption and production

73

78.8

14. Life below water

71

73.5

16. Peace, justice and strong institutions

8

88.9

17. Partnership for the goals

101-200

90.2

Entry item, rank, score

FULL P.14

Research related to environment issues in the Kobe Project
Secondary School attached to Kobe University 10th grade students
INAOKA Keiichiro and WATANABE Rin
Teacher: TAKAGI Suguru
Students of Secondary School attached to Kobe University participate in the Kobe PortIntelligence Project (Kobe Project) as part of Period for Inquiry-Based Cross-Disciplinary
Study. In this project, each student from their 3rd to their 6th year is assigned a themeand spends a year developing and writing a report using a variety of inquiry methods.
In the “cooperative seminar,” which consists of more than a dozen students from years
3 to 6, students deepen their research mainly through discussions with their peers.

On creating the environmental report
This Environmental Report summarizes the results of environment-related activities at this university between April 2022 and March 2023, and is publishedas the Kobe University Environmental Report 2023.
The Environmental Report is predominately aimed at our students and faculties, with the objective of promoting communication about the environment bothwithin and outside Kobe University. We introduce education, research, andprojects carried out at the university, in addition to highlighting efforts to promote
environmental management, etc. as a way of measuring our environmental
performance.

Guidelines used as references“Environmental Report Guidelines, 2018 Edition”(Published in June 2018 by the Ministry of the Environment)“Manual for Writing Environmental Reports: For the Environmental Report
Guidelines, 2018 Edition”(Published in March 2019 by the Ministry of the Environment)

Lecture by SHIBATA Nobuo, Project
Leader of the Office for Promoting SDGs

Students in charge of
research*For more information, see the full Japanese language Environmental Report 2023 on the Kobe University website. (Page numbers at the top indicate the page number in the full version.)Kobe University Environmental Performance
Environmental Management■Environmental Management Policy
Conservation of the global environment and the creation of sustainable societies are themost important issues of our time. In working toward the “Kobe University Vision”, we will
do our utmost, as an institute for education and research which meets the highest international standards, to tackle these issues through all our activities at the university. In March
2022, we established the Basic Policy to Encourage Environmental Management During
the Fourth Mid-Term Goal Period (FY2022 to FY2027), which was based on the Kobe University Environmental Charter and the Kobe University Basic Policy on Environmental andFacility Management. Our environmental conservation activities are based on this policy.

Basic policy to encourage environmental management during the fourth mid-term goal period

I. Promoting the three Rs
By promoting the three Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle) among all
university members, we will take assertive action to reduce waste
while simultaneously reducing consumption of resources.

II. Initiatives for rationalization of energy usage
We aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 46% from 2013
levels by 2030, as set by the government, by promoting more
efficient use of energy, and we are committed to reducing university-wide greenhouse gas emissions to become carbon neutral by
2050.

III. Implementation and continuation of environmental management cycles
To encourage environmental management, we will continue todevelop an ongoing action plan and implement our PDCA cycle.

IV. S trengthening environmental activities
during Environmental Month (June)
We will conduct environment-related educational activities that focus on energy conservation as we enter the summer season when
air conditioning is used more frequently.

■Initiatives for paper waste reduction
The results of an investigation into waste bin garbage and garbage collection sites by agroup of environment surveyors found that the amount of recyclable paper mixed in withtrash had decreased, and garbage was being sorted appropriately for the most part.
We are continuing our activities to encourage environmental management. Posters on garbage separation and recycling are put up in each department in order to spread awarenesson proper separation and disposal of recyclables (cans, glass, PET bottles), combustible
and non-combustible waste, recyclable paper, and confidential documents, etc. In addition,
we designed standardized stickers for garbage bins. These stickers are attached to separated bins in areas such as hallways to promote the three Rs with regards to paper usage
and waste.

Please cooperate inrecycling leftover paper
Recyclable paper

Magazines, pamphlets,
catalogs, posters

Calendars, sketchbooks, paper files(remove metal fittings)

Paper boxes, wrapping
paper (candy, food packaging, medicine, etc.), tissue
boxes (not including
cellophane and othernon-paper parts)

Envelopes (not including
cellophane from transparent
bordered envelopes), money
envelopes, gift envelopes,
postcards, business cards,
letters, DM (not including
vinyl)

Paper bags (notincluding non-paper handles)

Used books (paperbacks,
pocket books), dictionaries(not including vinyl
coverings or other non-paper items), catalogs,
posters

Shredded paper(if recyclable)

Cardboard tubes (leave
toilet paper and wrapping
paper tubes as they arewithout opening), paper
egg cartons

Copy paper, memo paper(not including thermal paper)

Textbooks, notebooks,
school printouts,
origami, Japanesewriting paper, drawing
paper (including paperwith ink or paint)

Mounts for shirts orstockings, paper
clothing tags

*Cellophane, vinyl, and plastic are burnable trash.

Collection Methods
Distribute garbage bins
and bags in rooms andother locations to collectrecyclable paper in thecourse of everyday use.

Place inside anunneeded paperbag, envelope,etc.

Stack magazines, etc. andtie with a cord.

Wrap up any
unneeded
paper with acord, etc.

etc.

*Illustrations are taken from Kobe City pamphlet entitled “Do You Know? Leftover Paper Can Be Recycled.”！

or specially processed paper ●Photos
The items to the ●Water-proofed(vinyl-coated paper, paper cups, waxed●Paper with adhesives (stickers, photoright cannot be
paper used for detergent boxes, etc.) (mostly albums, etc.)●Synthetic paper (Braille books, etc.)
dissolved in water, paper items that cannot be torn by hand)●Thermal paper (fax paper, etc.)●Iron-on transfer paper
so they cannot be ●Carbon paper (shipping slips, receipts,●Paper soiled with foodetc.)●CDs and DVDs included with magazines
recycled!

Center for Environmental Management

Containers for recyclable Separate garbage bins
paper (indoors)(corridor)

Garbage investigation(indoors)

Created November, 2016

Garbage investigation (outdoors)

Material balanceMaterial balance is the amount of energy and resources used for conducting business activities (“input”) and the environmentalload generated by those activities (“output”).
As our basic policy for environmental management, Kobe University promotes activities related to the three Rs (reduce, reuse,recycle) activities, the streamlining of energy usage, and the continued implementation of the environmental management cycle.
We are actively working to conserve the environment based on this policy.
INPUT

FY 2022

University Overview

851,239

Student body (undergraduate)

People11,425

CO2 output volumet-CO2

30,177

Electricity consumption MWh

70,313Student body (graduate)

People4,444

Wastewater

1,000m3

342.0

Gas consumption

3,681

Study body (affiliated institutions)

People1,296

Heavy oil consumption kL

0.600

Foreign student body

People1,229

Waste material (printer paper, newspaper,t
cardboard, confidential documents, etc.)

City and other water usage 1,000m3

317.1

Students on academic scholarships

People4,072

Waste material (raw garbage) t

4.3

Miscellaneous water usage 1,000m3

59.0

Teaching faculty

People5,740

Waste material (combustible waste) t

525.0

Foreign exchange programswith overseas universities

Institutions

375

Waste material (large items) t

118.2

Waste material (non-combustible waste) t

0.0

Total energy

GJ
1,000m3

Paper usage127.29t

Tsurukabuto 1
21,717
3%

Fukae
23,1973%

Tsurukabuto 2
13,176
1%

Port Island 3
25,818 3%

Myodani
11,245
1%

Akashi,Okubo,
Sumiyoshi 1
7,964 1%
Other
5,165
1%

Port Island 2
25,963 3%

OUTPUT

Fukae
773
3%

Tsurukabuto１
740
2%

Tsurukabuto２
421
1%

Myodani
363
1%

FY 2022

289.8

Akashi,Okubo,
Sumiyoshi 1
274 1%
Other
179 1%

Port Island 3
828 3%
Port Island 2
884 3%

Rokkodai 1
35,939 4%

Proportion of energy
used by each campus
or complex

FY 2022

Rokkodai 1
1,227 4%

Rokkodai 2
194,079
23%

Kusunoki
486,976
57%

Units: GJ

Proportion of CO2
emitted by each
campus or complex

Rokkodai 2
6,531
22%

Kusunoki
17,957
59%

Units: t-CO2

Kobe University environmental performance
Energy Conservation and climate change prevention●Energy consumption●Electricity Consumption

In FY 2022, energy consumption from electricity, gas, and heavy oil
totaled approximately 851,000 gigajoules (*1). Energy consumption decreased by 1.2% compared to FY 2021, and the energy
consumption per unit area (calculated by dividing the energy consumption by the total floor area of all buildings) also decreased by
2.5% compared to FY 2021 and by 5.1% per unit area compared tothe pre-pandemic level in FY 2019.
We believe one of the factors was changing the air conditioning
system from gas to electric in the Rokkodai area. We will continue
to promote energy conservation.
*1: Converted calorific values for electricity, heavy oil, gas, etc.
based on Article 4 of Regulations on Rationalization of Energy
Use, etc.

In FY 2022, electricity usage decreased by 1.1 % compared to theprevious fiscal year.

Total ( GJ )（ GJ ）

140
72,064

71,673

132.7

132.3

70,31370,23070,000135

67,716129.6

65,000

130

128.2

123.1

60,000

125

2

0

0

FY 20181,700

893,697

FY 2019

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

Figure 3: Electricity consumption

885,4311,650

880,000
1,646
1,635
861,317860,000

1,600
851,239

1,590
835,740

840,000（ kWh/ｍ2 ）Consumption rate ( kWh/m2 )75,000（ GJ/ｍ ）Consumption rate ( GJ/1,000ｍ2 ）

900,000

Total ( 1,000 kWh )（ 1,000 kWh )

1,551

1,550

1,520

FY 2021129.6 kWh/m2●City gas consumption
In FY 2022, city gas usage decreased by 7.3% compared to theprevious fiscal year.
Total ( 1,000 mm3）

3

1,500

820,000

FY 2022128.2 kWh/m2

1.1% decrease( 1,000m )Consumption rate （ m3/m2 ）（ m3/m2 ）

9.0

4,300
4,246

0
FY 2018

FY 2019

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

1,450
0

4,100

4,146

7.82

Figure 1: Energy consumption

FY 2021
1,590 GJ/1,000m2

2.5% decrease

7.65

FY 2022
1,551GJ/1,000m2

3,900

7.11

7.24

3,909

3,920

6.0
3,681

CO2 emissions per total floor area (548,677 m2) in FY 2022 (30,177
tCO2) decreased by 28.3% from the previous year. This was due,in part, to an approximately 34.4% decrease in the CO2 emission
coefficient (a value indicating CO2 emissions per kWh of electricity
supply) of the main electricity supplier (from 0.000474 to 0.000311
tCO2/kWh) for electricity consumption, which accounts for approximately 80% of the university’s energy consumption.

Consumption rate ( t-CO2/1,000m ）2

43,000( t-CO2/1,000m )2

80.0

42,089FY 2018

FY 2019

FY 2020

34,00075.0

77.7
35,39570.0
34,57463.8

FY 20217.24m3/m2

In FY 2022, heavy oil usage decreased by 7.6% compared to theprevious fiscal year.
1.2

Total（ kL ）Consumption rate（ Ｌ/ｍ2 ）

0.006

0.005

1.0

0.8

0.004
0.638

0.600

0.6

0.003

60.0
0.00204
0.4

28,00055.0
FY 2019（ Ｌ/ｍ2 ）

1.110

64.8
30,177FY 2018

FY 20226.71m3/m2

7.3% decrease

0.810

31,0000

FY 202235,04065.0

66.3

FY 2021

Figure 4: Gas consumption（ kL ）

40,00005.0

0■Heavy oil consumption

Total（ ｔ-CO2 ）37,000

7.0

6.71

3,700

●CO2 Emissions（ ｔ - CO2 ）8.0

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 20220

FY 202255.0t-CO2/1,000m2

0.002
0.001180.00109

0.00070

0.2

Figure 2: CO2 emissions

FY 2021
29.2% decrease
77.7t-CO2/1,000m2

0.385
0.00150

55.0

0.001

0.0

0.000
FY 2018

FY 2019

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

Figure 5: Heavy oil consumption

FY 20210.00118L/m2

7.6% decrease

FY 20220.00109L/m2

Kobe University environmental performance
Resource conservation and recycling●Water Usage

1,000ｍ3
500

City water
Miscellaneous water

Well water
Total

457
433

Water usage for FY 2022 increased by
26,000m3 (7.4%) compared to the previous fiscal year.
At Rokkodai, we plan to conserve resources by using river water from Mt.
Rokko for toilets and experiments.
We will continue working on ways to use
water resources efficiently.

73

400

300

59

37

47

110

101

187

203

221

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

120

Green Purchasing and Procurement and Environmentally Friendly Contracts

96

200
280

240

100

●Green Purchasing and Procurement0●WasteFY 2019

Figure 6: Water usage
Waste volume ( t )Waste volume(t)

Recycling rate(％)

Recycling volume ( t )Recycling rate ( ％ )

30

1,800
1,600

29

1,400
28

1,200
1,000

27

800

26

600
25
400
24

200

23

0
FY 2018

FY 2019

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

Figure 7: Amount of waste generated％
100

100.0 100.0 100.0
95.4

90
80
70
60
50

41.6
40

40.2
34.0

31.9

30
20
10

0.0

0.0

0.0

Large items

Non-combustible
waste

Other

PET bottles

Combustible
waste

Bottles

0.0
Cans

0.0
Raw garbage

Confidential
documents

Cardboard

Magazines

Newspaper

0.0
Other paper

0Printing paper●University-Wide
Office Paper
Consumption

350

334

FY 2018

Waste volume from FY 2018-2022 is shown in figure 7. Waste
volume for FY 2022 was 937.3t,
a 0.01% increase from FY 2021.
The recycling rate in FY 2022
was 28.0%, 0.5% lower than in
FY 2021.
The FY 2021 recycling rate by
waste type is shown in figure 8.
According to this figure, it is clearthat the recycling rate for printing
paper, newspapers, magazines,
and cardboard has not improved.
If the recycling rate for paper
reaches 90%, the total recycling
rate for all waste will increase
from approximately 28.0% to39.7% (calculated according to
FY 2022 waste volume). Kobe
University will follow its basic policy to encourage environmental
management, and work to further
improve the recycling rate.

376

73
103

Figure 8: FY 2022 recycling rate by waste type

Changes in consumption of office paper fromFY 2018 to FY 2022 are shown in figure 9.
Consumption decreased 1.13% (1.45 t)
from the previous fiscal year.
We will continue to work to reduce our paper usage by making conferences and lectures paperless, introducing double-sided
printing, printing multiple pages per sheet,and reusing the reverse side of paper thathas already been printed on once.

（ｔ）
250

200

188.39150

127.46

128.74127.29FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022100

500
FY 2018

FY 2019

Figure 9: University-wide paper usage

The specified facilities to which the Water Pollution Control Law applies arewash basins and draft chambers used mainly for experiments and research.
There are approximately 2000 specified facilities on campus (washing facilities, etc.), and it is a legal requirement that the government be notified prior
to and after any new installation, change, or decommission.
However, there are numerous laws concerning specified facilities including
the Water Pollution Control Law, the Sewerage Act, and the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act, and these laws are complex and hard to understand. Both legal knowledge and knowledge of chemical substance management are necessary to fill in the large amount of required information for the
notification materials to be submitted to the government. To address this, wehave created e-learning materials about specified facilities-related laws anddocument preparation, etc., which we encourage staff members to utilize.
The e-learning course is around 30
minutes long. To improve users’
understanding, we have enhanced
Flowchart for the crea�on ofno�ﬁca�ons for “speciﬁed facili�es”(cleaning equipment)

Q&A- 1Q1. We want to replace cleaning equipment (a sink) with the same model. What are theprocedures in this case?
A1. A notiﬁcation of cleaning equipment removal, a notiﬁcation of postponement of
veriﬁcation for Article 3 of the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act, and notiﬁcation of
the new installation of the cleaning equipment are required even when replacing (upgrading)cleaning equipment with the same model.

Start

Has exis�ng
equipment been
discon�nued?

Yes (*1)
Have hazardous
substances (*3)
been used?

Go to (1) on page 2

No

New installa�onor change

Q4. Why is the notiﬁcation of postponement of veriﬁcation in the Soil Contamination
Countermeasures Act required when speciﬁc equipment is discontinued?
A4. When speciﬁc equipment is discontinued (only equipment with which hazardous
substances were used), there is an obligation under Article 3 (1) of the Soil Contamination
Countermeasures Act to investigate soil contamination within 120 days and report toauthorities. However, if the land is to be used as is, submitting a notiﬁcation of postponementof veriﬁcation allows this investigation to be postponed.

Create no�ﬁca�on for the proviso of Ar�cle 3 of
the Soil Contamina�on Countermeasures Act

Is it a new
installa�on? *1

NoFinishYes

October 8, 2021

Go to (2) on page 3* 1: Includes replacements and upgrades * Listed on pages 2 and 3

E-Learning related to specified facilities

Q2. The content of our research has changed. Do we need to submit notiﬁcation?
A2. A notiﬁcation is not required if it involves substances for which a notiﬁcation has already been
submitted, even if the content of research has changed. However, a change notiﬁcation isrequired when new hazardous substances (Article 2 (2-i) of the Water Pollution PreventionAct) or items indicating chemical oxygen demand or other water pollution status (Article 2 (2-i)
of the Water Pollution Prevention Act) are added.

Under the Act on Promotion of Contracts of the State and Other Entities,
Which Show Consideration for Reduction of Emissions of Greenhouse Gases, etc. (hereinafter referred to as the "Act on Contracts with Consideration
for the Environment"), efforts must be made to develop contracts that giveconsideration to the reduction of greenhouse gases, etc. for the following
eight categories: "procurement of electricity," "purchase and lease of automobiles," "procurement of ships," "building design," "building maintenance,""energy conservation improvement projects (ESCO projects)," "energy conservation improvement projects other than ESCO projects," and "disposal ofindustrial waste."
When procuring design work for the construction and renovation of buildings
in FY 2022, Kobe University requested that the contractor submit proposals
that effectively reduce environmental impact by taking into account the characteristics of the design work, thereby reducing the emission of greenhousegases and other emissions.
The eight environmentally friendly contracts for high-voltage and special
high-voltage electricity supply in the Rokkodai, Kusunoki, and Fukae areas,
etc. are two-year contracts that cover FY 2022 and FY 2023, and they were
implemented as shown in table 13.
Table 13: Electricity supply in each area

Q5. Why is it necessary to submit two notiﬁcations for the Water Pollution Prevention Act andthe Sewerage Act?
A5. This is because even if all wastewater is treated in the sewer system, there is a risk thathazardous substances could enter rivers and other waterways through storm drains (roadsidegutters or manholes) as a result of accidents involving equipment or piping.
Q6. What is the diﬀerence between hazardous substances and speciﬁc hazardous substances?
A6. Hazardous substances are those stipulated under the Water Pollution Prevention Act.
Speciﬁc hazardous substances are those stipulated under the Soil Contamination
Countermeasures Act. 28 hazardous substances and 26 speciﬁc hazardous substances havebeen stipulated. While most of these overlap, the following substances fall under hazardous
substances but not speciﬁc hazardous substances.
(1) ammonia, ammonia compounds, nitrous acid compounds, and nitric acid compounds(2) 1,4-dioxane

Utilization of templates related to specified facilities

6,380kW

Planned amount of
Successful bidder
power to be used
23,376,000kWh/year The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.

672kW

1,617,000kWh/year The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.

Amount of power contracted
Rokkodai area
Tsurukabuto 2nd Campus(Graduate School of Human
Development and Environment)
Fukae area (Graduate Schoolof Maritime Sciences)
Myodani area (Graduate
School of Health Sciences)
Port Island area

Q3. The sewage pipe ﬂange of the cleaning equipment has deteriorated. Do we need tosubmit notiﬁcation?
A3. Replacement of ﬂanges require a change notiﬁcation.

No

Yes

Create discon�nua�on no�ﬁca�on for the Water
Pollu�on Preven�on Act and Sewerage Act

Center for Environmental Management

The Act on Promotion of Procurement of Eco-Friendly Goods and Services
by the State and Other Entities (Green Purchasing Law) was implemented in
April 2004. This law stipulates the necessary procedures for the promotionof environmentally friendly goods procurement, etc. by the national government, providing information on increasing the demand for such goods,
and aims to realize a society capable of sustainable development with less
impact on the environment. It
Table 12: Achievements in green purchasing
was established with the aim
and procurement in FY 2022
of contributing to people’s
health and cultural life both
Total procurement Procurement rate forCategory
Itemvolumespecific items
now and in the future, with thePrinting paper
126,768kg
100%
government and other organiPaper
Toilet paper
41,197kg
100%
Other
4,603kg
100%
zations taking the initiative
Ballpoint pens
6,367
100%
in stimulating the purchase
Envelopes
Stationery
177,846100%(paper)of environmentally friendly
Other
50,304100%
goods.
Office furniture, etc. Chairs, desks, etc.
2,847
100%
Based on this act, Kobe
Copy machines,
Printing
6,522
100%
printers, etc.
equipment
University creates a policy
FluorescentLighting
9,943
100%
tubes
for procuring eco-friendly
Interior
Curtains
281
100%
materials every year. It proWork gloves
3,751
100%
cures materials based on thisOther textile Blue
61
100%
products
tarpaulins
policy, publicizes the results,
Services
Printing
530
100%
and provides reports to the
Average
100%
Ministry of Environment andMinistry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
The university conducted a study on procurement results for 282 items
across 22 fields. A selection of these results for 9 major fields are shown intable 12. In FY 2022, we achieved a 100% procurement rate for the designated items.
We will continue to create procurement policies based on the Green Purchasing Law, and proactively work to procure eco-friendly materials.

●Current status of environmentally friendly contracts
195.16●Expanding E-Learning on Specified Facilities

Regarding Procedures for the Establishmentof Specified Facilities, etc.

this course by adding narration using a speech synthesis program so thatusers can hear the content in addition to reading the text on the screen.
Additionally, to reduce administrative tasks within each department, we havecreated flowcharts, a Q&A, and standard templates concerning administrative notification materials for specified facilities (such as washing facilities
for experimental research) regarding their installation, disposal, etc. These
resources were made available for public access in January 2023.

Other four areas

Kusunoki area
International Clinical Cancer
Research Center

873kW

2,196,000kWh/year The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.

390kW

1,257,000kWh/year The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.

Integrated Research Center 180kW
Integrated Research Center Annex 380kW
Incubation Center 150kW
Secondary School attached to Kobe
University 378kW
Elementary School attached to Kobe
University 154kW
School for Special Needs Education
attached to Kobe University 92kW
Food Resources and Education Research Center 90kW
6,960kW36,210,000kWh/year The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.

540kW

1,814,600kWh/year The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.

3,400,000kWh/year The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.

860,000kWh/year The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.

Outside Opinion
The world economy has developed exponentially since the Industrial Revolution that originated in the U.K., and society has become globalized andaffluent. As a result, we are faced with various global-scale environmental
challenges, including climate change due to global warming and the ocean
plastic crisis, as well as issues related to the sustainability of the resourcesthat support our society. Our urgent task is to overcome these challenges andbuild a sustainable society. The SDGs represent the goals that we have toachieve, one of which is the realization of carbon neutrality and the transition
to a circular economy. As advanced educational and research institutions,
universities are expected to conduct research and development, develop
human resources, and contribute to society in order to overcome these criticalissues. Kobe University has set up organizations to directly address social
issues, including the establishment of the Office for Promoting SDGs in 2020
and the Carbon Neutral Promotion Headquarters in 2022. This really gave mea sense of the university’s strong will to contribute to the resolution of theseissues. This attitude is strongly expressed in the messages from the President
and the Director of the Center for Environmental Management.
On the other hand, universities are also corporations, and like private companies, they have social responsibilities to reduce their environmental impact,
such as reducing energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, and waste.
With a total of 23,905 faculty, staff, and students, Kobe University has a large
environmental footprint. For example, Kobe University’s CO2 emissions in
FY 2022 were at 30,177 t-CO2. This amount of emissions is half the size ofthe emissions of the residential sector of Ako City (60,000 t-CO2 in FY 2021),
which has a population of approximately 50,000 people, which gives a senseof the magnitude of the emissions. The Center for Environmental Management is responsible for the overall environmental management of Kobe University, and it is my understanding that specific efforts are being carried out
in cooperation with each faculty, graduate school, and other organizations. It
is the responsibility of corporations to reduce their environmental impact in avariety of ways, such as energy-saving initiatives and reduction of CO2 emissions, which will naturally lead directly to the realization of carbon neutrality.
The Carbon Neutral Promotion Headquarters has a campus division alongwith its education, research, and social co-creation divisions, and its intention
is to link its education and research on carbon neutrality to the realization ofcarbon neutrality on its campus. I felt it necessary to give a more detailed explanation of how exactly this campus division and the environmental management efforts centered on the Center for Environmental Management will belinked to reduce environmental burdens by taking advantage of the benefits ofan educational and research institution. Although most universities, including

Hiroshima University, have already made contributions to the SDGs and carbon neutrality, they are still in the trial-and-error stage as to how to link theirefforts to reduce environmental burdens in human resource development,
research and development, social contribution, etc. I am very interested tosee how Kobe University, which has established a Carbon Neutral Promotion
Headquarters, will link education and research with practical reductions in theenvironmental impact of the campus in the future.

Name: NISHIJIMA Wataru
Current position: Hiroshima University
Professor, Director of Environment
Research and Management Center
Profile1992 Research Assistant, Faculty of Engineering, Hiroshima University
2000 Associate Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, Hiroshima University
2005 Professor, Environment Research and Management Center, Hiroshima University
2006 Director, Environment Research and Management Center, Hiroshima University
2019- President, NPO for Establishing a Recycling-Oriented Society2021- 2023 President, Japan Society on Water Environment
2021- Ad hoc member of Water Environment and Soil Pesticides Subcommittee, Central Environment Council, Ministry of the Environment▪Awards Received
2005 Best Paper Award, Japan Ozone Association
2008 Best Paper Award, Japan Ozone Association2009 Honda Prize for Recycling Technology Development, Clean Japan Center2012 Best Paper Award, Japan Ozone Association2017 Academic Award, Japan Society on Water Environment
2017 Best Paper Award, Society of Environmental Science, Japan2018 Paper Incentive Award, Japan Ozone Association▪Research Field : E
 nvironmental Studies / Environment Creation Studies / Natural Symbiosis System
Development of technologies for water treatment and recycling-oriented social systems, survey and study of environmental management, conservation, and rehabilitation technology development forcoastal areas▪Affiliations : Japan Society on Water Environment, etc.

About the CoverIn order to further publicize this Environmental Report to our students (who comprise the majority of the university population), we created the cover by requesting
photos and illustrations from undergraduate and graduate students at the university, as well as from students at our affiliated schools. The cover photo was selected by the Environmental Planning and Assessment Committee, with the photo below receiving the grand prize.
From the many works submitted, we also selected two photos for Excellence Awards as shown below. We would like to take this opportunity to express our thanks
to all those who submitted photos and illustrations.
Grand Prize (Cover photo/illustration)

Excellence Awards (Cover photo/illustration)

Photo by MORI Kanato, Sophomore, Department of Oceanology, Faculty of Oceanology, Kobe University
Shooting location: Fukae Campus
Photographer’s comment
I had a chance to look at the cover photos that have been used in thepast. I think that all of the photos are very beautiful with excellent colors
and compositions, creating an inspiring image of the natural environment. However, while all of thephotos met the criteria, the subject matter, at least for the last five years, seems to have been the Rokko campus. When discussing the environment, I consider the environment to be all natural areas thathumans can interact with. Therefore, I am concerned that the cover photo showing a campus in themountains and plants may leave room for a narrow interpretation of the environment as “mountains
and plants” by those who read the report. Taking into account the strengths of Kobe University, which
has a variety of faculties, I have decided to focus on the “sea” to widen our perspective from the “land”.
In order to clearly express the idea that the environment is not only “land” but also “land” and “sea” ina broader sense, I chose the Fukae Campus, home of world-class marine research, as the subject of
this photo.

Photo by ASAI Yuta, Junior,
Department of Civil Engineering,
Faculty of Engineering,
Kobe University
Shooting location: Science andTechnology Research Building 3▪ Date of issue: September 2023
▪ Created by the Center for Environmental Management▪ Inquiries: Kobe University Facilities Department, Equipment Division,
Environmental Management Group
1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo 657-8501
Tel: 078-803-6654
E-mail: shis-kankyo@office.kobe-u.ac.jp
URL: https://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/en/about_us/charter/environment.html

Photo by MORI Kanato,
Sophomore,
Department of Oceanology,
Faculty of Oceanology,
Kobe University
Shooting location: Fukae Campus