Living in the Park
YKK Real Estate’s ‘Passive Town’ showcases innovative approaches to residential construction. The project demonstrates how insights from large-scale modern timber construction in Europe can be successfully adapted for the Japanese context. For the first time, regional timber and prefabrication methods have been applied on a large residential building in Japan.
By employing a hybrid timber construction system, CO₂ emissions during production were reduced by 33%. A combination of a power-to-gas system and an air-source heat pump ensures the building is powered entirely by renewable energy.
The project is already making waves: timber construction firm Chuto is investing in the further development of prefabrication, while general contractor Takenaka aims to become a leader in prefabricated timber construction across Japan. Meanwhile, YKK — a major manufacturer of windows and façades — plans to add timber windows for the Japanese market to its product range.
