Firms create 'smart town' of the future

A "smart town" of the future, incorporating technology that makes the community greener, more energy-efficient and comfortable for its inhabitants, is to be built in Japan. Panasonic Corp. is teaming up with eight other companies that are leaders in advanced environmental initiatives to construct the community - the Fujisawa Sustainable Smart Town - in the city of Fujisawa, 50 km southwest of Tokyo. Japanese companies like Sony, Toshiba, Toyota and Honda have previously developed "smart homes" or systems that incorporate an array of energy-efficient technologies - from LED lights to solar panels on the roof, fuel cells in the back garden, toilets that use reduced amounts of water and ultra-thin vacuum insulation panels - but the concept has never before been expanded to create an entire town. In a statement, Panasonic said it will apply its "comprehensive solutions for the entire house, entire building and entire town" to Fujisawa SST - which will have around 1,000 homes and related infrastructure - combining its energy technologies and a safe and secure environment. "The company will effectively create an advanced model of a town demonstrating efficient use of energy by promoting widespread use of energy-saving devices and proposing new solutions that integrate measures for energy creation, storage and management," it said. "Specifically, the company plans to preinstall its solar power generation systems and home-use storage battery systems across the town, including homes, various facilities and public zones, which would be the first of its kind in the world. "Panasonic intends to replicate Fujisawa SST as a business model in other parts of Japan and overseas," the company added. There has been a sudden surge in interest in innovations in the energy sector in Japan, and around the world, given the energy problems that the nation faces this summer due to the ongoing problems at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant. Given the concerns of the public over the safety of nuclear power, more companies are going to be looking at safer and greener technology. Panasonic is being joined in the endeavor by Accenture, Mitsui & Co., Ltd., Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd., Nihon Sekkei, Inc., ORIX Corporation, PanaHome Corporation, Sumitomo Trust & Banking Co., Ltd. and Tokyo Gas., Ltd. Accenture will have the task or designing and promoting the service model, while Mitsui will be charged with building the city infrastructure and developing the properties. Nihon Sekkei will create a plan for the deployment of energy generation devices, Sumitomo Trust & Banking will provide loans specifically for properties within the smart town and Tokyo Gas will deploy its household fuel cell systems. The town will also benefit from mobility sharing, the creation of a "green axis" of parks and vegetation, provisions for electric vehicles and even advanced welfare facilities for the elderly. The cost of the project, which will be on a plot of about 19 hectares, is estimated at Y60 billion (€511 million) and the new town is scheduled to open in 2014.