September 6, 2012
Shimizu earns Japan’s first LEED Gold certification for new office buildingDesign and construction of new headquarters building helps Shimizu take the lead in meeting international building environmental performance standards
Shimizu Corporation (President: Yoichi Miyamoto) earned Gold certification under the LEED for New Construction Rating System for the design and construction of its recently completed headquarters building in Tokyo’s Kyobashi district. LEED is an internationally recognized rating system used to assess environmental performance related to building and construction.
The new Shimizu Corporation Headquarters building is Japan’s first new office building to earn LEED certification at the Gold or any other level.
The Shimizu Corporation Headquarters building had previously achieved an S ranking under Japan’s Comprehensive Assessment System for Building Environmental Efficiency (CASBEE) rating system. The LEED certification attests to even broader recognition, both at home and abroad, of the superior environmental performance of the new headquarters building.
As a building environmental performance rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED is a recognized and key benchmark in the environmental branding of firms seeking to demonstrate leadership in the area of environmental performance. The benchmark also helps differentiate properties for owners seeking to sell their properties or attract tenants as well as properties for investment funds seeking to invest in green real estate.
Properties that have been LEED certified are located in the United States and roughly 70 other countries and regions around the world, including the Middle East and Asia. Additionally, properties in more than 130 countries and regions around the world are currently working to achieve LEED certification.
With efforts to earn LEED certification accelerating worldwide, similar movements have emerged in Japan. In targeting LEED certification while designing and constructing its new headquarters building, Shimizu sought to gather the experience and expertise needed to respond effectively to these emerging trends.
The review process for LEED for New Construction Version 2.2 evaluates environmental performance by assigning scores according to the following six categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation and Design Process.
The rating system of LEED for New Construction Version 2.2 is based on a 69-point scale, with 42 points awarded for design considerations and 27 for construction. The overall score determines the level of the certification: Certified (scores of 26–32), Silver (scores of 33–38), Gold (scores of 39–51), and Platinum (scores of 52 and above).
The certification system sets a high bar: only 30% of properties submitted for rating worldwide (roughly 13,000 out of 47,000 properties) have earned any form of certification to date.
Shimizu applied to have its headquarters building registered in December 2008. The review process began in September 2009.
Shimizu earned 34 points in the Design Review of January 2010 and 10 points in the Construction Review of June 2012 for a total of 44 points, resulting in LEED Gold certification.
Before applying, Shimizu proceeded strategically, examining and reexamining various issues to identify a clear set of requirements for its target. These issues included reconciling differences between the design and construction requirements imposed by the LEED rating system and those dictated by the purpose of the new Shimizu Corporation Headquarters building. Shimizu also weighed whether to use materials certified under U.S. standards, given the difficulty of procuring such materials in Japan.
Ultimately, as a result of these efforts, the structure cleared the screening for all targeted requirements.
This LEED certification demonstrates Shimizu’s capabilities for design and construction projects in Japan and around the world. It also demonstrates Shimizu’s capacity to propose solutions that help clients efficiently and reliably achieve LEED certification while meeting their own building-specific needs. Shimizu hopes to put this certification to use in securing future construction orders.
< References >
1. About LEED
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
2. Overview of the new Shimizu Corporation Headquarters
| Location |
: |
2-16-1 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan |
| Design and construction |
: |
Shimizu Corporation |
| Size |
: |
Building area: 2,170 m2
Total floor area: 51,355 m2
Three below-ground floors, 22 above-ground floors, one penthouse
Height: 106 m |
| Structure |
: |
Seismic-isolation structure, reinforced concrete (partially steel frame) |
| Construction period |
: |
April 1, 2009 – May 15, 2012 |
Information provided in this news release is current as of the date of publication. Please note that all such information is subject to change. Please feel free to contact us with any questions.
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