Japan Sustainable Building Database

Project Outline

The Sakai Gas Building, located in the central part of the city of Sakai, was constructed as a base for gas supply and security control operations in the southern part of Osaka and the area of Wakayama Prefecture as an environmentally-friendly urban office building characterized by both functionality and comfort. The defined core factors of the plan's concept were "passive use of natural energy" and a "highly effective energy-saving plan."As an approach to the maximum use of natural ventilation in urban areas, a hybrid air conditioning system was adopted, which combines natural ventilation with the air flow of ceiling fans and floor-diffusion air conditioning. Specifically, the air conditioning system was designed to begin air conditioning operation using only natural ventilation as much as possible and extend air conditioning time without heat source operation, particularly at intermediate seasons, with the aid of the air flow of the ceiling fans and natural ventilation. It was also intended to achieve comfortable air conditioning at 28°C in summer, ensuring a comfortable feeling using the air flow of the ceiling fans.

Basic Information

[CASBEE rank]	S  ()
[CASBEE tool used]	CASBEE for New Construction (2006 edition)
[Location]	Sakai, Osaka prefecture
[Completion date]	August, 2003
[Site area]	1,842 m2
[Total floor area]	7,155 m2
[Structure]	Steel structure, SRC structure in part
[Floors]	7 floors above ground
[Owner]	Osaka Gas Co., Ltd., Urbanex Co., Ltd.
[Designer]	Nikken Sekkei Ltd. Yasui Architects & Engineers, Inc.
[Contractor]	Construction: Obayashi/Takenaka/Nankai Tatsumura JV, Air conditioning: Takasago Thermal Engineering Co., Ltd., Sanitation: Suga Co., Ltd.

Information for visitors

Not permitted

Publication

N/A

Awards

• SB05 Tokyo Memorial Sustainable Building and Housing Awards, Buildings Section, Examination Committee Encouragement Prize (Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation, 2005)
• 3rd Environmental and Equipment Design Awards, Prize of Excellence (Association of Building Engineering and Equipment, 2005)