Environmental and disaster prevention measures in Minami-machida Grandberry Park

Tokyu Corporation

Tokyu Railways

Tokyu Architects & Engineers INC.

Minami-machida Grandberry Park is a “new base for living” created through the integrated redevelopment of a station, commercial facilities, and an urban park in cooperation with Machida City. With the concept of “a town where everything is like a park,” we have created a seamless environment with a series of lush, open spaces. We have also implemented disaster prevention measures that focus on rainwater management, such as the use of permeable pavement throughout the area, the introduction of the “bioswell,” a rain path that allows rainwater to percolate into the ground, and the reuse of rainwater in station buildings. In recognition of these efforts, we have received Gold certification under the international environmental certification systems LEED NC (for new construction) and LEED ND (for urban development).

SHIBUYA SOLASTA, both worker- and Earth-friendly

Tokyu Land Corporation

Shibuya Solasta, a large-scale office building in Dogenzaka, Shibuya, offers a worker-friendly environment with a rooftop terrace where you can experience nature, green terraces on each floor, and IoT facilities that support various ways of working. In addition, a double-skin construction method has been adopted to reduce the building’s heat load, and the use of natural light, thinned wood, rainwater harvesting, and solar power generation has reduced the environmental load and made the office building more eco-friendly. In addition, the continuous planting of trees in the planar and vertical directions forms an ecological network that attracts organisms from the surrounding areas, contributing to biodiversity. Through these measures, we have achieved a CO₂ emission reduction rate of 23%, an annual CO₂ reduction of 2,404 tons, a rainwater utilization rate of 73%, an annual solar power generation of 5,081 kWh, and a greening rate of 46.1%.

Morigurashi: Starting a sustainable forest conservation and resource cycle!

Tokyu Resort Service Corporation

In Tokyu Resort Town Tateshina, we have developed a recycling cycle of protect, use, and connect with the Tateshina forest at its core and have named this initiative the Morigurashi Project. A forest management plan was prepared, and large-scale thinning of 10.9 ha (42.5% thinning rate) was carried out, reducing the risk of forest decline. Then, the existing kerosene boiler was abolished, and a biomass boiler using wood from thinning was introduced, reducing kerosene by 40,000 liters and CO₂ emissions by 110 tons per year. This project was selected as a subsidized project by the Ministry of the Environment at a high subsidy rate because of its collaboration with local governments and its ripple effect on the surrounding areas, including the establishment of the Morigurashi Council, which ensured the project’s viability. In addition, a new facility called Morigurashi Area was opened in the town as a place to transmit the charm of the forest and connect it to the future, which has been well received.

A linen supply factory that is friendly to people and the environment

Tokyu Construction Co., Ltd.

Tokyu Linen Supply Co., Ltd.

The Tokyu Linen Supply Sano Plant, which opened in July 2018, aimed to improve the traditional “hot in summer and cold in winter” work environment. For this reason, we introduced ideas such as using the heat from the steam pipes feeding the rollers for floor heating in the winter and installing partition walls in the summer to block the heat generated by the rollers and increase the cooling effect. An air-conditioning system using well water, a cascade system for laundry water, and a ventilation system using geothermal heat was adopted. Natural light and LED task lighting were installed in the work area. The ingenuity of the building facilities and the high efficiency and automation of the production equipment resulted in a reduction of 900 tons or 27% of CO₂ in one year compared to the existing plant. The company also contributes to regional revitalization by actively conducting plant tours and employing 100% of its employees in the region.

Initiatives to promote awareness of renewable energy and environmental education

Tokyu Power Supply Corporation

In March 2019, the Company began supporting the operation of Japan’s first railway service powered by 100% renewable energy on the Tokyu Setagaya Line, in collaboration with the former Tokyu Corporation (Tokyu Railways and Tokyu Corporation) and Tohoku Electric Power Co. This has contributed to a reduction of 1,263 tons of CO₂ emissions during operation. Taking advantage of this opportunity, we have implemented a variety of measures to promote the understanding and spread of renewable energy among people along our service lines, such as expanding awareness through traffic advertisements and inviting our service subscribers to Tohoku Electric Power’s geothermal power plant for environmental education as part of the cool share promotion campaign. In addition, in November of the same year, we launched a service to purchase surplus solar power (graduated FIT power) and participated in the Setagaya version of RE100 proposed by Setagaya Ward to promote “local production for local consumption of renewable energy.”

Sales of art-designed goods by people with disabilities at SHIBUYA SKY

Tokyu Recreation Co., Ltd.

For the opening of the SHIBUYA SKY Souvenir Shop on the top floor of Shibuya Scramble Square, we collaborated with Shibuya Font to create a variety of original goods. Shibuya Font is a Shibuya City project in which students in Shibuya design letters and numbers drawn by people with disabilities. In addition to creating jobs for people with disabilities in the manufacturing process, such as dyeing and bagging, a portion of the sales is returned to welfare facilities. The goods, full of originality, have become popular as souvenirs, and in winter 2019, the Shibuya Font initiative received the Good Design Award. From SHIBUYA SKY, which is attracting attention from people both inside and outside Japan, we will continue to communicate the appeal of Diversity Shibuya.

All major private-sector railway companies participate in the Private Railway Career Train

Tokyu Corporation

One of the major issues for the future is the increase in the number of employees who leave the company and move to other regions due to their spouse’s transfer or to care for family members. In response to this, we have called on the major private railway companies to launch the Private Railway Career Train, a mutual acceptance scheme for employees of the major private railway companies who have difficulty continuing to work at their current place of employment due to life events. Currently, all major private railway companies in Japan are participating in this program. We view the experience and knowhow of our employees as common assets in the private railway business which will help us secure excellent human resources and contribute to the further development of the regions along our rail lines. Employees can also enjoy job satisfaction and ease of working by continuing their careers in private railways. This initiative was highly evaluated and won the grand prize at the 8th Japan HR Challenge Awards.

Shibuya Fukuras development to connect the city and people

Tokyu Land Corporation

Prior to the redevelopment, the area around the western exit of Shibuya Station was facing not only traffic issues, such as complicated station traffic lines and lack of pedestrian/vehicle separation, but also social issues, such as lack of office buildings with well-developed business environments and lack of tourist information services. In order to solve these problems, Shibuya Fukuras was not just a rebuilding of the Shibuya Tokyu Plaza building, but also a comfortable pedestrian network and a local cargo handling area, creating a safe and pedestrian-centered town. In addition, the development of facilities to support industrial advancement, the “shibuya-san” tourism support facility, and the airport limousine bus depot have contributed to strengthening international competitiveness. In the event of a disaster, the facility has the capacity to temporarily accommodate approximately 600 people who have difficulty returning home, contributing to the enhancement of local disaster prevention capabilities.

A new form of urban development through public-private partnerships

Tokyu Corporation

Ota Ward and the former Tokyu Corporation (now Tokyu Railways and Tokyu Corporation) signed “Basic Agreement on the Promotion of Urban Development through Public-Private Partnerships Utilizing Regional Strength” in March 2019. In the area around Ikegami Station in Ota Ward, we are jointly developing a variety of activities centered on projects to promote the use of vacant houses and stores. The activity base SANDO is set up in the shopping arcade, and the activities here are expanding greatly, making it a place for local exchange and information transmission and collection and benefitting from the wisdom of the artists who are the management partners. By providing support for young players who want to start new businesses in the region and matching opportunities with real estate owners, new stores have been launched, and the shopping association has become more active. Through these activities, we are making progress in urban development that makes use of local resources.

YOKOHAMA GREEN BATON PROJECT
Sustainable Community Development Project Tokaichiba-cho, Midori Ward

Tokyu Corporation

Tokyu Land Corporation

The YOKOHAMA GREEN BATON PROJECT, a model project promoted by the SDGs Future City Yokohama, is a large-scale mixed-use development project in Tokaichiba-cho, Midori-ku, organized by Tokyu Corporation, Tokyu Land Corporation, and NTT Urban Development. The goal of the project is to create a town where everyone can continue to live with peace of mind by connecting people with each other and communities with each other and developing housing, daycare services, nursery schools, and supermarkets to meet the needs of multiple generations. The goal is to promote health and create multi-generational interaction by installing benches, healthy play equipment, and a multi-purpose area in a lush green space. In addition, an area management corporation was established to build a resident-oriented community. The town is being revitalized through the opening of the senior housing dining room to the community and area management events.

《 Environment Section 》

Recycling of weeds along Tokyu’s railway lines

Tokyu Green System Co., Ltd.

For the past 20 years, we have been working with a disposal company to produce compost from grass cuttings, branches, leaves, and other materials generated by mowing the grass along the Tokyu railway lines and planting trees in the plaza in front of the station, while giving due consideration to the environment. By composting and reusing waste materials, we solved one of the problems of disposing of a large amount of waste materials, which could take up to two or three 2–4 ton packers per day, reducing the load on the waste incineration plant by reducing the amount of waste and also reducing CO₂ emissions. In addition, the large amount of water required for composting is stored in an environmentally friendly manner, and rainwater is used. Moreover, the finished compost is distributed free of charge to pear farmers in the vicinity of the workshop to promote reuse, thus creating a recycling-oriented society.

《 Social contribution section 》

The Zasupe Fund (Donation of daily coffee money)

Tokyu Agency Inc.

A cup of 100-yen coffee at work. After witnessing the disaster, we wondered if there was anything we could do to help. The same action as usual (buying coffee) led to activities to support and help people in the disaster area. A total of 391,700 yen from September 17, 2019 to the end of December 2019. All proceeds from the sale of coffee available at our meeting space were donated to the relief efforts for the victims of Typhoons 15 and 19 in 2019. We implemented the same plan at the time of the 2018 torrential rain disaster in western Japan and took measures such as creating a versatile design for posters and clarifying internal approval routes, in order to “make this a project that anyone can start immediately when something happens in the future.” Therefore, this time we successfully implemented the project within a week after the typhoon hit, which led to more support.