Sumitomo Forestry Launches Sales of Eco-Houses Built with Domestic Cypress

On October 21, 2005, Sumitomo Forestry Co., a major Japanese home builder, launched sales of "MyForest," a new wooden house design based on a concept of optimal harmony between wood housing and the demands of daily life. In an effort to minimize the environmental impacts of housing in a sustainable society, the company created this new product as an expression of three key phrases: "a healthy and comfortable housing environment," "an affinity with the surrounding environment" and "protection of the global environment."

The company uses mainly Japanese cypress for structural components such as pillars and the foundation, promoting effective use of domestic timber as a way of contributing to a recycling-oriented society. It also borrows wisdom from traditional Japanese homes, adopting a construction style that utilizes natural energy and decreases dependence on air-conditioners. The company claims that residents will be better able to sense the changing of the seasons, as the design incorporates new ways of dealing with shading, insulation, heat accumulation and ventilation, while taking advantage of the latest technologies to meet next-generation energy-saving standards.

The walls are made of carefully selected natural materials, such as sand, gravel, shell, mica and (volcanic) ash. The resulting plastered wall is excellent for moisture control and insulation, and also functions to adsorb and fix harmful volatile organic compounds such as formaldehyde. For the exterior, domestic cedar is used to create a warm appearance.

http://www.sekisuichemical.com/

Posted: 2006/02/15 12:42:22 PM
Japanese version