Location

Misono, Japan

The Misono District in Saitama City is a large-scale urban development area located in the southeastern part of Saitama City, in the suburbs 25 km away from the Tokyo city center, and has been under construction since the 2000s. The population of Misono is expected to increase in the coming years, especially among the child-rearing generation.

 

Issue

Toward Net-zero and Climate Resilient City

Japan is a disaster-prone country due to its geographical location and recently experienced terrestrial rains as well as typhoons which caused massive disasters (e.g. 2018 Japan floods). In the aftermath of one of the most powerful typhoons Hagibis in 2019, a large-scale blackout occurred in the Tokyo metropolitan area. In Saitama, located in the Greater Tokyo Area, there are increased concerns that people's lives will be disrupted by intensive natural disasters.

 

Solution / Lesson learned

"Smart Home Community" contributes to low carbon emissions in normal times and resilience in times of disaster

The local government and local homebuilders are cooperating to build a community of more than 100 smart homes equipped with solar power generation systems and other energy-efficient features. It is equipped with a large-scale energy storage facility that utilizes electric vehicles and other energy sources to promote local energy production for local consumption throughout the community. In the event of a grid failure due to a disaster, the city block's solar power, storage batteries and EVs will continue to supply electricity.