Country Report on

Building Energy Codes in

Japan

M Evans
B Shui
T Takagi

March 2009
 DISCLAIMER

This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the

United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency
thereof, nor Battelle Memorial Institute, nor any of their employees, makes any
warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility
for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus,
product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe
privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product,
process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not
necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by
the United States Government or any agency thereof, or Battelle Memorial
Institute. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily
state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST NATIONAL LABORATORY

operated by
BATTELLE
for the
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
under Contract DE-AC05-76RL01830

This document was printed on recycled paper.

(9/2003)
Country Report on
Building Energy Codes in
Japan

M Evans
B Shui
T Takagi

March 2009
Foreword

Buildings account for about 30% of all energy consumption globally and a significant
share of greenhouse gas emissions. Building energy codes help ensure that new buildings
use energy efficiently, and this can reduce building energy use by 50% or more compared
to buildings designed without energy efficiency in mind. This is important because
buildings typically last 30-50 years, and it is much less expensive and time-consuming to
design for energy efficiency than to retrofit a building later. Based on the experience of
the Asia-Pacific region, it is clear that building energy codes, when implemented, save
energy and improve comfort in new buildings. By design, most building energy codes are
cost-effective, saving consumers significant amounts of money on their energy bills.

The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Energy and Climate (APP) is a public-private

collaboration to accelerate the development and deployment of clean energy technologies.
APP partners include Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, and the
United States (the U.S.). APP countries account for more than half of the global economy,
energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. APP’s Buildings and Appliance Task
Force (BATF) provides a forum for APP partners to work together on energy efficiency
in buildings and appliances. This report was prepared under the framework of BATF, in
particular a BATF project called “Survey building energy codes and develop scenarios
for reducing energy consumption through energy code enhancement in APP countries”
(BATF-06-24).

At the request of the U.S. Department of Energy, the Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory’s Joint Global Change Research Institute has prepared a series of reports
surveying building energy codes in the seven APP countries. These reports include
country reports on building energy codes in each APP partner country and a comparative
report based on the country reports. This particular report is the country report on
building energy codes in Japan.

i
Acknowledgements

This report owes its existence to the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and
Climate. We would like to thank all the APP partner countries and experts who
collaborated on this project. We are particularly grateful to Dr. Seung-Eon Lee at the
Korean Institute of Construction Technology for his oversight of the APP project under
which this report was prepared (BATF 06-24). We would also like to thank Mark
Ginsberg, Jean Boulin and Marc LaFrance from the U.S. Department of Energy for their
leadership and financial support of this work.

Diana Shankle, manager of the PNNL Building Energy Codes Program, has provided
moral and intellectual support for this project. Mark Halverson reviewed this report and
Kate Williams helped the editing. We would also like to express our gratitude to several
other individuals who supported or participated in the APP building energy code
assessment in various capacities including Kay Killingstad, Paulette Land and Kim
Swieringa.

ii
Contents
Foreword ........................................................................................................................................................ i

Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................... ii

1. Introduction and Background ........................................................................................................... 1

1.1 A Glance at the Economy and Energy......................................................................................... 1
1.2 Buildings Sector .......................................................................................................................... 1
1.3 Relevant Regulations................................................................................................................... 2
1.4 Implementation............................................................................................................................ 3

2. Buildings Sector in Energy Conservation Law (the 2005 Revision) ............................................... 4

3. Energy Codes for Commercial and Residential Buildings .............................................................. 6

3.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 6
3.2 Energy Codes for Commercial Buildings - Criteria for Clients on the Rationalization of Energy
Use for Buildings (CCREUB) ................................................................................................................... 8
3.3 Energy Codes for Residential Buildings (Houses)- Design and Construction Guidelines on the
Rationalization of Energy Use for Houses (DCGREUH)........................................................................ 10
3.3.1 Thermal Insulation................................................................................................................ 10
3.3.2 Thermal Performance of the Building Envelope .................................................................. 10
3.3.3 Thermal Performance of Windows and Doors (Openings)................................................... 13
3.3.4 Ventilation Plans................................................................................................................... 13
3.3.5 Heating, Cooling and Hot Water Plans................................................................................. 14
3.3.6 Airflow Plans........................................................................................................................ 14
3.3.7 Information on Building Operations and Maintenance (“How to Live”) ............................. 14
3.4 Energy Codes for Residential Houses - Criteria for Clients on the Rationalization of Energy
Use for Houses (CCREUH)..................................................................................................................... 14

4. Other Developments ......................................................................................................................... 15

4.1 Environmentally Symbiotic Housing ........................................................................................ 15
4.2 The Housing Quality Assurance Law........................................................................................ 16
4.3 Comprehensive Assessment System for Building Environmental Efficiency - CASBEE ........ 17

5. Conclusions........................................................................................................................................ 17

List of Acronyms ........................................................................................................................................ 19

References ................................................................................................................................................... 20

Useful Websites........................................................................................................................................... 20

iii
 List of Figures
Figure 1 Energy Consumption by Sector in Japan, 1990-2005 ...................................................................... 2
Figure 2 Buildings Sector in Japan’s Energy Conservation Law (2005)........................................................ 5
Figure 3 Climate Zones in Japan .................................................................................................................... 7

List of Tables
Table 1 Structure of the Building Energy Codes in Japan.............................................................................. 7
Table 2 Climate Zone Definitions .................................................................................................................. 7
Table 3 Essential Features of the CCREUB ................................................................................................... 8
Table 4 Minimal Energy Performance for Building Envelopes (PAL) and Building Equipment (CEC) in
Commercial Buildings .......................................................................................................................... 9
Table 5 Scale Correction Coefficients............................................................................................................ 9
Table 6 Standard Heat Transfer Coefficients (U-values) of Building Envelopes by Climate Zone ............. 11
Table 7 Minimum Heat Resistance (R-value) for Insulation Materials by Climate Zone ............................ 12
Table 8 Maximum Heat Transfer Coefficients (U-values) of Windows and Doors by Climate Zone ......... 13
Table 9 Maximum Summer SHGC by Climate Zone................................................................................... 13
Table 10 Essential Features of CCREUH..................................................................................................... 15
Table 11 Maximum Allowable Annual Heating and Cooling Loads by Climate Zone................................ 15

iv
1. Introduction and Background
1.1 A Glance at the Economy and Energy
Japan is a major economic power. In 2007, the gross domestic product (GDP) of Japan
was US$4.4 trillion,1 the second largest in the world (IMF, 2008). Japan has limited
natural reserves of fossil fuels, so it is the world’s largest net importer of coal, the second
largest of petroleum and the third largest of natural gas (EIA, 2008a). As the fourth
largest primary energy consumer, Japan emitted 1,247 Mt of carbon dioxide in 2006,
which was 4.3% of the global total that year (EIA, 2008b).

1.2 Buildings Sector

Japan had 12.6 million non-residential buildings in 2006, with a total floor space of 0.68
billion square meters. Non-residential buildings include, but are not limited to, attached
buildings (60% of the total floor space of commercial buildings in 2006), factories and
warehouses (15%), mixed-use buildings (other than houses) (10%), offices, banks and
retails (9%), and temples and religious buildings (4%) (Ministry of Internal Affairs and
Communications, 2008).

In 2006, there were 32.1 million residential buildings in Japan, with a total floor space of
3.4 billion square meters. Residential buildings consist of single-detached houses (85% of
total floor space of residential buildings), houses in the agriculture sector (6%),
condominiums (5%) and mixed-use houses (4%) (Ministry of Internal Affairs and
Communications, 2008).

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the buildings sector in Japan
became the largest energy end-user in 1999 (IEA, 2007). In 2005, the buildings sector
consumed 116 million tons of oil equivalent (Mtoe), or 33% of Japan’s total final energy
use2, which is higher than that of either the industrial or transportation sectors (Figure 1).
Within the buildings sector, the commercial sector consumes 12% more energy than the
residential sector. Between 1990 and 2005, the average annual growth rate of energy
demand in the buildings sector was 1.6% (commercial was 1.4% and residential was
1.9%). This is much higher than that of the industrial (-0.5%) and transportation sectors
(0.2%) (IEA, 2007).

Reducing building energy use and related CO2 emissions has long been a stated priority
of Japan’s energy policies.

1
Nominal GDP in current U.S. dollars. (nominal). Its GDP based on purchasing power parity was US$4.3
in 2007.
2
Final energy use includes consumption of renewable and waste energy.

1
Figure 1 Energy Consumption by Sector in Japan, 1990-2005
120
110

100

Mtoe
90

80

70
60
50

40
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Industry Sector Transportation
Residential Commerce and Public Services
Building Sector Others

Notes: Energy consumption in this figure refers to final energy use, which includes consumption of
renewable and waste energy Source: IEA, 2007

1.3 Relevant Regulations

Japan was hit hard by the 1973 oil crisis, as its oil consumption contributed to 80% of its
total primary energy demand that time. Since then, the Japanese government has been
committed to making energy efficiency one of its priorities in national development.
Today, Japan has one of the most efficient economies in the world as measured by energy
intensity.

Japan’s Rational Use of Energy, or Energy Conservation, Law was first issued in 1979.
Initially, it was primarily focused on promoting energy efficiency in the industrial sector.
The law served as the foundation of Japan’s energy efficiency policies and was updated
numerous times, including in 1983, 1993, 1998, 2002, 2005 and 20083. The 2002
revision required that owners of new commercial buildings larger than 2,000 square
meters submit energy saving plans to the government. The 2005 revision, which took
effect in 2006, strengthened energy efficiency measures for residential buildings and the
construction sector. Owners of buildings with over 2,000 square meters must submit
energy saving plans for renovation permits (IEA, 2008b, c, d and e). Recent revisions to
the Energy Conservation Law expand the number of buildings for which energy saving
plans are required; the revisions go into effect in 2009. The revisions require owners of
small and medium-sized buildings (300 to 2,000 square meters) to submit energy saving
plans before construction or renovations. Also, construction companies building more
than 150 houses per year would need to improve the energy performance of the houses
they built.

3
Part of the 2008 version of the law will enter into force in April 2009, and the remainder in April 2010.

2
Under the Energy Conservation Law, Japan has issued a set of building energy standards
for commercial and residential buildings. The Criteria for Clients on the Rationalization
of Energy Use for Buildings (CCREUB) was first issued in 1979, and the newest version
was released in 1999 by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) and the
Ministry of Construction (MoC). There are two building energy standards related to
residential buildings: (1) Design and Construction Guidelines on the Rationalization of
Energy Use for Houses (DCGREUH), issued by MoC in 1980, and later revised in 1992
and 1999; and (2) Criteria for Clients on the Rationalization of Energy Use for Houses
(CCREUH), issued by MITI and MoC in 1980, and later revised in 1992 and 1999.

According to recent statistics, houses that comply with the latest building energy standard
consume 40% less energy than houses without insulation, offices that meet the latest
standard use 75% less energy than those that do not (MLIT, 2007).

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT) issued the “Basic Program
for Housing” in 2006, which aimed to improve housing standards by 2015. Two of the 21
targets MLIT announced include (1) 40% of housing should have energy saving measures,
and (2) the life span of housing should be increased from 30 years in 2003 to 40 years by
2015 (IEA, 2008a). Buildings in Japan typically have a shorter life span than those in
most other APP countries. This fast turnover of buildings presents on-going opportunities
to create a more efficient building stock, but it also means that the buildings designed for
short lives may not be built with as much attention to energy efficiency.

1.4 Implementation
MLIT and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) are in charge of
implementing the Energy Conservation Law. Under the law, owners of buildings and
homes larger than 2,000 square meters are responsible for submitting a so-called
mandatory report on energy conservation to local authorities whenever there is new
construction, an extension, alternation, major repair or remodeling.

All mandatory reports are reviewed by the local authorities who receive the reports, and
the local authorities may give instructions to the property owners and publicize building
names if the measures are unsatisfactory. From April 2009, with the most recent
amendment of the Energy Conservation Law, local authorities can impose penalties if
mandatory reports of homes and buildings larger than 2,000 square meters do not meet
the regulatory requirements.

The mandatory report submission rate is almost 100% according to MLIT. According to
data from the mandatory reports, in 2005 85% of commercial buildings complied with the
1999 energy efficiency requirements in the design stage. A survey of housing evaluated
under the Housing Quality Assurance Law showed that 36% of new homes complied
with the 1999 energy efficiency requirements in 2006. No data is available on compliance
in actual construction, and Japan does not inspect buildings for compliance with the
energy efficiency standards. However, compliance does seem to be improving. For
example, only 34% of commercial building designs met the standards in 2000, compared
to 85% in 2005 (the latest year for which data was available). This is particularly

3
impressive considering that the mandatory reports were not obligatory on buildings until
2003. Mandatory reports became obligatory for houses in 2005, which is probably one of
the reasons that compliance is lower for houses (MLIT, 2007 and Building Center of
Japan, 2007).

In addition, building owners must also provide local authorities with reports on
maintenance every three years.

The Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation holds training seminars
to support implementation of the Energy Conservation Law. The seminars cover issues
such as building design, construction techniques, insulation and calculations of energy
efficiency under the building energy codes. For example, the institute is holding over 100
training sessions all around Japan to disseminate information on the latest amendment of
the Energy Conservation Law. This institute also publishes detailed guidebooks on
Japan’s energy efficiency standards.4

Local governments also provide significant support of the building energy codes. For
example, under the Sustainable Building Reporting System, many cities provide tools and
information to help improve the energy efficiency of new buildings. Some cities also
publish summaries of all new building energy saving plans. Moreover, some cities
encourage energy efficiency by allowing builders to build taller or larger buildings than
otherwise allowed if the building designs rank highly on energy efficiency. Other cities
provide construction subsidies or low-interest loans for highly-ranked residential
buildings.

Japan also has detailed testing, rating and labeling requirements for key building
components, such as windows, insulation and combustion-based equipment. These test
standards and ratings are referenced in the building energy codes.

2. Buildings Sector in Energy Conservation Law (the 2005

Revision)
The Energy Conservation Law, revised in August 2005, focuses on four sectors: factories,
transport, buildings, and machinery and equipment. The chapter on buildings, entitled
“Measures for Buildings”, covers the energy conservation responsibilities of building
owners and construction clients5, jurisdiction, and building materials (Figure 2).

4
For additional information, please see: www.ibec.or.jp/.
5
Under Japanese regulations, a construction client is the person or legal entity for whom a structure is
constructed. In most cases but not all cases, it is the same as the property or building owner. This report
uses the terms property or building owner for ease of reading, except in the referring to the actual titles of
Japanese documents.

4
Figure 2 Buildings Sector in Japan’s Energy Conservation Law (2005)

1. General Provisions

2. Basic Policy

3. Measures for Factories

4. Measures for Transport

Bearers: Role of Bearers Role of Government:
5. Measures for Buildings
Non-residential Buildings Guidance/Advice
Building Owners/ Residential
Publication of Guidelines
Construction Clients Buildings
Mandatory Report on
Standards of Specific Buildings Instruction for Changes
Energy Efficiency
Judgment
Total floor area: >= 2,000 m2
Periodical Report on
Recommendation
Construction Maintenance
Manufacturers,
Materials
Processors and Importers
6. Measures for Machinery Improvement of Energy
& Equipment Guidance/Advice
Efficiency Performance

7. Miscellaneous Provisions

8. Penal Provisions

Revised based on the figure presented in Section 2.4 of Japan Energy Conservation Handbook
2007 (The Energy Conservation Center, 2007)

The contents of the section “Measures for Buildings” include:

Responsibility of Property Owners

Property owners should contribute to energy efficiency in buildings by properly
implementing measures to prevent heat loss and to improve the energy efficiency of
heating and air conditioning systems, and other building equipment.

Responsibility of Government and Jurisdiction

In order to improve building energy efficiency, METI and MLIT must establish and
publicize regulations for property owners. A government agency with jurisdiction (such
as a municipality or special ward that has a district construction inspector pursuant to the
Building Standards Act) may provide guidance and advice on energy efficiency to
property owners of regulated (so called “specified”) buildings. As noted above, Japan
does not inspect on-going construction for energy efficiency provisions, although
inspectors do check buildings at several stages for compliance with structural and fire
code requirements.

Specified Buildings
The term “specified buildings” in the Japanese code refers to buildings that must comply
with the building energy requirements. A specified building can be either residential or
commercial so long as it has a total floor area of at least 2,000 square meters. Owners of
specified buildings, who intend to construct or extensively modify the buildings

5
(including apartment buildings6), are required to submit a mandatory report on the
planned energy conservation measures to the authorities before construction. After the
completion of construction or modification, the property owners must also submit
periodic reports on the maintenance of the buildings with respect to energy-saving
measures. If the local authority finds the energy-saving measures to be insufficient, the
authority provides guidance and advice to the owners for improvement. If an owner does
not follow the authority’s advice and instructions for improvement, the authority can
publicize the owner’s name on a list for non-compliance (The Energy Conservation
Center, 2007). The 2008 edition of the law added penalties for non-compliance of up to
JPY 1,000,000 or about US$11,000.

Building Materials
METI may provide guidance and advice to businesses that manufacture, process or
import building materials to help them improve and ensure the thermal insulation
properties of the materials. This is in addition to the work of testing laboratories that
certify the energy efficient characteristics of building materials.

3. Energy Codes for Commercial and Residential Buildings

3.1 Overview
Japan has three building energy codes. One covers commercial buildings and the other
two cover houses.

Criteria for Clients on the Rationalization of Energy Use for Buildings (1999), or
CCREUB, is a mixture of performance and prescriptive energy codes for commercial
buildings. It covers insulation of the building envelope as well as heating, ventilation and
air conditioning (HVAC), lighting, water heating, and lifting equipment.

Japan has two building energy codes for residential buildings or houses (Table 1). The
prescriptive-based Design and Construction Guidelines on the Rationalization of Energy
Use for Houses (1999), or DCGREUH, includes insulation of the building envelope,
HVAC, water heating, as well as guidance on maintenance and operations in its section
entitled “how to live.” The Criteria for Clients on the Rationalization of Energy Use for
Houses (1999), or CCREUH, a mixture of performance and prescriptive-based building
energy codes, has a heavy focus on HVAC. It also provides performance-based annual
heating and cooling loads by building type.

The energy code for commercial buildings does not have regional or climate-zone
adjusted values. On the other hand, the energy codes for residential buildings or houses
do provide values adjusted for regional and climate differences for insulation-related
indictors. There are six climate regions in the residential energy codes (Table 2 and
Figure 3). Climate zones I and II are located in northern areas with cold winters and hot
summers, and climate zones V and VI are located in southern areas with warm winters
and hot summers.

6
The apartment buildings include condominium buildings.

6
Table 1 Structure of the Building Energy Codes in Japan
Commercial Residential
CCREUB DCGREUH CCREUH
Building 1. Heat loss 1. Thermal insulation 1. Maximum annual heating and
Envelope through the 2. Thermal performance of cooling loads by climate zone
building envelope the building envelope 2. Standards for equivalent clearance
3. Thermal performance of areas by climate zone
windows and doors 3. Condensation control
HVAC 2. Air conditioning 4. Ventilation plans 4. Ventilation volume
and heating 5. Heating, cooling and hot 5. Prevention of indoor air
3. Mechanical water supply plans contamination from heating and hot
ventilation (except 6. Airflow plans water systems
for air conditioning 6. Planned operation of heating and
and heating) cooling systems
7. Ventilation routes for heat
dissipation
Lighting 4. Lighting Not Applicable (N.A.) N.A.
Hot water 5. Hot water supply (See 5. Heating and N.A.
cooling, and hot water
supply plans

Other 6. Lifting 7. Information on building N.A.

equipment operation and maintenance
(“ how to live”)
Sources: CCREUB 1999, DCGREUH 1999 and CCREUH 1999

Figure 3 Climate Zones in Japan

Table 2 Climate Zone Definitions

Heating Degree Days (HDD)

in SI Units
I HDD 18oC > 3,500
II 3,000 < HDD 18oC ≤ 3,500
III 2,500 < HDD 18oC ≤ 3,000
IV 1,500 < HDD 18oC ≤ 2,500
V 500 < HDD 18oC ≤ 1,500
VI HDD 18oC ≤ 500

7
3.2 Energy Codes for Commercial Buildings - Criteria for Clients on the
Rationalization of Energy Use for Buildings (CCREUB)
The CCREUB is a mixture of performance-based and prescriptive energy codes. It
provides information on the minimal required energy performance for commercial
buildings (Table 3).

Table 3 Essential Features of the CCREUB

Section Number Selected Provisions
and Title
1. Heat loss through (1) Orientation of outer walls and layouts of the rooms should be
the building considered in site planning,
envelope (2) Building materials with high thermal insulation properties should be
used in the outer walls, floors and other parts of the building envelope,
(3) Measures for windows and tree planting should be used to limit solar
heat gain.
2. HVAC (1) The load characteristics of rooms and other factors should be taken
into consideration in the design of HVAC systems,
(2) Ducts, piping and other equipment designed for high heat retention
should be considered in the building plans,
(3) A proper control method should be adopted for HVAC equipment,
and
(4) A high-efficiency heat source should be used.
3. Mechanical (1) A plan to reduce energy losses from air ducts should be included in
ventilation the design,
(2) Mechanical ventilation equipment should have proper controls, and
(3) Energy-efficient equipment should be used for ventilation.
4. Lighting (1) Energy-efficient lighting should be used,
(2) Lighting equipment should have proper controls,
(3) Lighting equipment should be installed in a manner that facilitates
easy maintenance and management, and
(4) The arrangement of lighting equipment, the level of luminance, and
the selection of room shape and interior finish should be properly
determined.
5. Hot water supply (1) Shorter piping routes and thermal insulation of piping should be
considered in plumbing design,
(2) Hot water supply equipment should have proper controls, and
(3) The heat source system should be energy efficient.
6. Lifting equipment (1) Lifting equipment should have proper controls,
(elevators) (2) Drive systems should be energy efficient, and
(3) The installation plan for the required transport capacity should be
properly designed.
Source: CCREUB 1999

Some of provisions of the CCREUB are relatively general, although others include
specific values or calculation methodologies.

8
The CCREUB employs two energy indicators (Table 4) to measure energy performance
of a building. The perimeter annual load (PAL) is for the energy performance of the
building envelope, and the coefficient of energy consumption (CEC) for the energy
performance of the building equipment.
Annual thermal load of the inside Annual actual energy consumption of a
perimeter zone (MJ/year) piece of building equipment (MJ/year)
PAL= CEC=
Total floor area of the inside ambient Standard energy consumption of the
space of each floor (m2) same building equipment (MJ/year)

Table 4 Minimal Energy Performance for Building Envelopes (PAL) and Building Equipment (CEC)
in Commercial Buildings

CEC
Building PAL*
Type (MJ/m2·yr) Lifting
HVAC Ventilation Lighting Hot Water
Equipment
Restaurant 550 2.2 1.5 1 -
When 0 < A ≤ 7,
Assembly
550 2.2 1 1 CEC = 1.5
hall
When 7 < A ≤ 12,
Hotel 420 2.5 1 1 1
CEC = 1.6
Retail 380 1.7 0.9 1 -
When 12 < A ≤ 17,
Hospital or CEC = 1.7
340 2.5 1 1 -
clinic When 17 < A ≤ 22,
School 320 1.5 0.8 1 CEC = 1.8 -
Office 300 1.5 1 1 When 22 < A, 1
Factory and CEC = 1.9
1
other
Notes: PAL* is the unadjusted value without the integration of scale correction coefficients.
The term “A” represents the total length of circulation pipes for hot water supply (m) divided by the
average daily volume of hot water consumed (m3).
Source: CCREUB 1999

In addition, the PAL should be corrected for building size using scale correction
coefficients (Table 5).7
Table 5 Scale Correction Coefficients
Number of Floors, Average Floor Area (Square Meters)
excluding Basement 50 or Less 50 to 100 100 to 200 300 or More
1 2.40 1.68 1.32 1.20
2 or more 2.00 1.40 1.10 1.00
Source: CCREUB 1999

7
For example, in the case of a restaurant with 2 floors, excluding the basement and where the average floor
area is between 50 and 100 square meters, the PAL would be 770 (i.e., 550 * 1.40 = 770).

9
3.3 Energy Codes for Residential Buildings (Houses)- Design and
Construction Guidelines on the Rationalization of Energy Use for
Houses (DCGREUH)
The DCGREUH is a set of prescriptive building energy codes for residential buildings
(houses).

3.3.1 Thermal Insulation

Section 2 of the code describes the building components which must be insulated.
Specifically, external roofs, ceilings, walls and floors should be insulated, while sheds,
garages, attics, eaves, sleeve walls and verandas do not have to be insulated.

3.3.2 Thermal Performance of the Building Envelope

Section 3 covers three provisions related to the thermal insulation of the building
envelope (building envelope design, insulation material construction and air-tight layers).

(1) Building envelope design includes the maximum heat transfer coefficient for the
building envelope, and the minimum heat resistance for insulation materials.
These values are categorized by type of house, portion of the building envelope
and climate zone (Tables 6 and 7).

(2) Insulation material construction details the proper measures for installing
thermal insulation (such as an air stopper) in meeting areas between the walls and
the roof, or the floor of a thermally insulated structure. It also covers sealing
recessed lighting in the ceiling or roof of an insulated structure, preventing
moisture condensation which may degrade insulation performance, reducing heat
losses from thermal bridges and preventing moisture condensation on their
surfaces.

(3) Airtight layer construction details the proper construction measures for high
thermal performance through airtight layer construction.

10
Table 6 Standard Heat Transfer Coefficients (U-values) of Building Envelopes by Climate Zone
Unit: watt/ oC . square meter
Type Heat- Standard Heat Transfer Coefficient by Climate Zone
of Insulation Component
House Construction I II III IV V VI
Roof or ceiling 0.27 0.35 0.37 0.37 0.37 0.37
Wall 0.39 0.49 0.75 0.75 0.75 1.59
Houses with a reinforced concrete structure

Interior heat- Exposed to

0.27 0.32 0.37 0.37 0.37 -
insulation Floor open air
construction Others 0.38 0.46 0.53 0.53 0.53 -
method Peri- Exposed to
phery of open air 0.47 0.51 0.58 0.58 0.58 -
earthen
floors Others 0.67 0.73 0.83 0.83 0.83 -
Roof or ceiling 0.32 0.41 0.43 0.43 0.43 0.43
Wall 0.49 0.58 0.86 0.86 0.86 1.76
Exterior heat- Exposed to
0.38 0.46 0.54 0.54 0.54 -
insulation Floor open air
construction Others - - - - - -
method Peri- Exposed to
phery of open air 0.47 0.51 0.58 0.58 0.58 -
earthen
floors Others 0.67 0.73 0.83 0.83 0.83 -
Roof or ceiling 0.17 0.24 0.24 0.24 0.24 0.24
Wall 0.35 0.53 0.53 0.53 0.53 0.53
Exposed to
Other houses

0.24 0.24 0.34 0.34 0.34 -

Floor open air
Others 0.34 0.34 0.48 0.48 0.48 -
Peri- Exposed to
phery of 0.37 0.37 0.53 0.53 0.53 -
open air
earthen
floors Others 0.53 0.53 0.76 0.76 0.76 -
Source: DCGREUH 1999
Note: The DCGREUH uses the term “standard heat transfer coefficient”, which is similar to a maximum
allowable heat coefficient.

11
Table 7 Minimum Heat Resistance (R-value) for Insulation Materials by Climate Zone
Unit: m2. °C/watt
Heat- Standard Heat Resistance for Heat-insulation
Type of Material
insulation Component
House
Construction I II III IV V VI
Roof or ceiling 3.6 2.7 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5
Wall 2.3 1.8 1.1 1.1 1.1 0.3
Exposed
Interior to open 3.2 2.6 2.1 2.1 2.1 -
insulation Floor air
construction Others 2.2 1.8 1.5 1.5 1.5 -
method
Periphery
Exposed 1.7 1.4 0.8 0.8 0.8 -
of
Houses with a earthen
reinforced Others 0.5 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.2 -
floors
concrete
Roof or ceiling 3 2.2 2 2 2 2
structure
Wall 1.8 1.5 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.3
Exterior Exposed 2.2 1.8 1.5 1.5 1.5 -
insulation Floor
construction Others - - - - - -
method Periphery
of Exposed 1.7 1.4 0.8 0.8 0.8 -
earthen
floors Others 0.5 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.2 -
Roof or Roof 6.6 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.6
ceiling Ceiling 5.7 4 4 4 4 4
Wall 3.3 3.3 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2
Fill insulation Exposed 5.2 5.2 3.3 3.3 3.3 -
Wooden Floor
construction
houses Others 3.3 3.3 2.2 2.2 2.2 -
method
Periphery Exposed 3.5 3.5 1.7 1.7 1.7 -
of
earthen Others 1.2 1.2 0.5 0.5 0.5 -
floors
Roof or Roof 6.6 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.6
ceiling Ceiling 5.7 4 4 4 4 4
Houses made Wall 3.6 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3
with the
Fill insulation Exposed 4.2 4.2 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1
framework Floor
construction
wall Others 3.1 3.1 2 2 2 -
method
construction
Periphery Exposed 3.5 3.5 1.7 1.7 1.7 -
method
of
earthen Others 1.2 1.2 0.5 0.5 0.5 -
floors
Wooden Roof or ceiling 5.7 4 4 4 4 4
houses, houses Wall 2.9 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7
made with the Exterior
framework lining Exposed 3.8 3.8 2.5 2.5 2.5 -
Floor
wall insulation Others - - - - - -
construction construction Periphery Exposed 3.5 3.5 1.7 1.7 1.7 -
method, or method of
steel frame earthen Others 1.2 1.2 0.5 0.5 0.5 -
houses floors
Source: DCGREUH 1999

12
3.3.3 Thermal Performance of Windows and Doors (Openings)
The maximum heat transfer coefficient (U-values) of windows and doors ranges from
2.33 in colder areas (climate zones I and II) to 6.51 in hotter areas (climate zone VI)
(Table 8).

Table 8 Maximum Heat Transfer Coefficients (U-values) of Windows and Doors by Climate Zone
Unit: watts/m2.oC
Climate Zone
I II III IV V VI
2.33 3.49 4.65 6.51
Source: DCGREUH 1999

In the coldest zones (I and II), windows must generally have triple-glazed glass, or
double-glazed glass and a storm window. Double-glazed windows are required in zones
III to V.

The maximum summer solar heat gain coefficients (SHGC) range from 0.52 in colder
areas (climate zones I and II) to 0.6 in hotter areas (climate zone VI) (Table 9). Window
orientation is also a factor in determining the maximum SHGC. Certain types of windows
are exempt from these requirements, in particular, windows that are very small compared
to the total floor area and skylights providing direct sunlight.

Table 9 Maximum Summer SHGC by Climate Zone

Climate Zone
Window Direction
I II III IV V VI
Pointing +/-30° from due North 0.52 0.55 0.6
Other orientations 0.52 0.45 0.4
Source: DCGREUH 1999

This section of the code also provides details on design and construction measures to
improve the thermal performance of openings.

3.3.4 Ventilation Plans

Kitchens, bathrooms and other spaces that locally generate peculiar air contaminants
should be mechanically ventilated. One-storied houses and rooms of apartment houses
should have a mechanical ventilation system unless the necessary volume of fresh air can
be ensured with natural ventilation or an exhaust emission tower. Houses with two or
three floors can have either a natural or mechanical ventilation system. However, a
mechanical ventilation system should always be used for houses that are air-conditioned
or heated continuously. The code also provides suggestions regarding the design of
ventilation plans, including pre-heating air, the size and location of openings for natural
ventilation, the hourly volume of air that mechanical ventilation systems should provide
per person and room type, and measures to prevent condensation in mechanical
ventilation systems.

13
3.3.5 Heating, Cooling and Hot Water Plans
Buildings should have energy efficient heating and cooling equipment. Combustion-
based heating and hot water equipment should be enclosed or outdoors. Semi-enclosed
heating and hot water systems must have adequate precautions to prevent exhaust air
from entering occupied spaces, such as an air supply opening with local ventilation to
prevent the backward flow of exhaust gas. In addition, heating and cooling equipment
must be designed to allow residents to choose among continuous heating, partial heating
and intermittent heating.

3.3.6 Airflow Plans

In order to provide comfortable airflow to residents, each room must have a window or
door. Meanwhile, proper measures for these openings are needed to prevent insect
infestation and burglary. In addition, designers should consider trees planted to screen the
house from the outside.

3.3.7 Information on Building Operations and Maintenance (“How to Live”)

In contrast to the residential building codes of other APP countries, Japan’s residential
building energy code also provides instructions regarding the operation and maintenance
of the house, including the following:

ƒ Open combustion heating systems should be equipped with a device to prevent

incomplete combustion,
ƒ Proper measures should be taken to prevent moisture condensation in an open
heating system,
ƒ Proper ventilation is needed when significant amounts of chemical substances,
offensive odors and vapors are generated inside the house.
ƒ Filters on ventilation systems and heating and cooling equipment should be cleaned
regularly.
ƒ Rooms must be ventilated by windows when there is a small difference between the
inside and outside temperature, except during the heating season.

Under the Energy Conservation Law, owners of large houses and buildings must provide
local authorities with reports on maintenance every three years.

3.4 Energy Codes for Residential Houses - Criteria for Clients on the
Rationalization of Energy Use for Houses (CCREUH)
The CCREUH contains a mixture of prescriptive and performance-based energy
efficiency provisions, mainly focused on HVAC (Table 10). It provides the maximum
allowable annual heating and cooling loads (Table 11).

14
Table 10 Essential Features of CCREUH
Section Number and Title Selected Contents
1. Maximum allowable annual This section provides maximum allowable annual heating and
heating and cooling loads by cooling loads, and related parameters and calculation
climate zone methods.
2. Standards for equivalent This section provides the definition of equivalent clearance
clearance areas by climate areas, which appears to relate to air exchange through the
zone building envelope.
3. Condensation control In order to prevent condensation that may reduce insulation
performance and house durability, the property owner should
prevent surface moisture condensation and moisture
condensation within walls with proper measures.
4. Ventilation volume The property owner should develop a ventilation plan for the
entire house and for local ventilation near sources of
contaminants by taking into consideration inflow and outflow
routes for fresh air.
5. Prevention of indoor air When installing a combustion-type heating or hot water
contamination from heating supply system, the property owner should take measures to
and hot water systems minimize contamination of the inside air.
6. Planned operation of When installing a heating or cooling system, the property
heating and cooling systems owner should consider how the system will be used, as well
as its energy efficiency.
7. Ventilation routes for heat The property owner should employ ventilation routes in
dissipation houses in areas where ventilation is effective against heat in
summer. The ventilation openings should be designed so that
they do not cause trouble or inconvenience to daily living (by
permitting the entry of burglars or excessive noise)
Source: CCREUH 1999

The maximum allowable annual heating and cooling loads are essentially performance
standards for the building envelope as a whole. They provide a maximum budget that
designers must work within. The budget is largest in the central part of the country,
probably because buildings in the center usually have both heating and air conditioning.

Table 11 Maximum Allowable Annual Heating and Cooling Loads by Climate Zone
Unit: MJ/m3/year
Climate Zone I II III IV V VI
Maximum Load 390 390 460 460 350 290
Source: CCREUH 1999

4. Other Developments
4.1 Environmentally Symbiotic Housing
In 1993, the MoC issued the Environmentally Symbiotic Housing and Urban District
Guidelines. Compliance with the guidelines then became a prerequisite for financial
support for construction of model housing complexes. A model housing complex is

15
defined as one with “low impact” (energy efficient and low use of other natural
resources), “high contact” (harmony with the surrounding environment) and “health” (a
healthy environment with amenities) (The Association for Environmentally Symbiotic
Housing, 2007).

The Association for Environmentally Symbiotic Housing, comprised of private

companies, agencies and municipalities related to housing and local development, has
been promoting Environmentally Symbiotic Housing nationwide.

MLIT subsidizes one-third of the costs of surveys, planning and installation of

environmentally symbiotic facilities, including permeable pavement, facilities that utilize
natural energy sources or those that use recycled materials (Hong et al., 2007).

4.2 The Housing Quality Assurance Law

The Housing Quality Assurance Law, adopted in 2000, includes three systems, (1) a
housing performance labeling system, (2) a dispute settlement system, and (3) a liability
system with warranties against defects. The housing performance labeling system is a
voluntary system for housing suppliers, purchasers or sellers of existing homes. This
system is not directly aimed at improving building energy efficiency. It covers housing
performance broadly, including structural stability, fire safety, mitigation of degradation,
indoor air quality, thermal environment, air environment, light and visual environment,
acoustical environment, and considerations for the elderly. The rating for the thermal
environment is a measure of energy conservation performance. This rating has four
grades, based on compliance with existing and previous building energy codes:

ƒ Grade 4 (highest): complies with the 1999 Standard,

ƒ Grade 3: complies with the 1992 Standard,
ƒ Grade 2: complies with the 1980 Standard, and
ƒ Grade 1 (lowest): none.

By providing energy ratings of homes and comparisons to other buildings, the Housing
Quality Assurance Law provides consumers with the information needed to make rational
choices.

MLIT establishes the housing performance labeling system and certifies private
companies to conduct the assessments. The law also provides for several inspections of
housing during construction to ensure that buildings are properly rated for structural
stability and fire safety.

For more information, please refer to

www5.cao.go.jp/otodb/english/houseido/hou/lh_9999-71.html.

16
4.3 Comprehensive Assessment System for Building Environmental
Efficiency - CASBEE8
In order to promote building energy efficiency and environmental performance, Japan
established the Japan GreenBuild Council (JaGBC) / Japan Sustainable Building
Consortium (JSBC) together with its secretariat administered by the Institute for Building
Environment and Energy Conservation (IBEC) in 2001. With the support of MLIT, in
2001 the JSBC launched the Comprehensive Assessment System for Building
Environmental Efficiency (CASBEE).

CASBEE was developed to reflect a building’s life cycle. The CASBEE family contains
the following tools:

ƒ CASBEE for New Construction,

ƒ CASBEE for New Construction (Brief Version),
ƒ CASBEE for Existing Building,
ƒ CASBEE for Renovation,
ƒ CASBEE for Heat Island,
ƒ CASBEE for Urban Development,
ƒ CASBEE for an Urban Area + Buildings, and
ƒ CASBEE for Home (Detached House).

CASBEE was originally a voluntary program, but is now employed as a tool for
developing and reviewing mandatory reports. The local CASBEEs are made and
administrated by local governments, although JaBEC administers the national program
through IBEC with MLIT support.

Currently, there are 13 prefectures and cities which employ the Sustainable Building
Reporting System with local CASBEE. Tokyo Metropolitan Government has its own tool
for the Sustainable Building Reporting System. Under the local CASBEE programs,
many towns provide incentives for more efficient buildings. For example, a building that
rates highly in CASBEE may be allowed to have an additional floor or more floor space
than zoning would otherwise allow. Owners of such buildings may also be eligible for
certain construction subsidies and low-interest loans.

Building developers, architects and others can download the CASBEE tools to evaluate
any new building or renovation on their own. Building developers and owners can also
hire trained architects to conduct the assessments (Hong et al., 2007).

For more information, please refer to www.ibec.or.jp/CASBEE/english/overviewE.htm.

5. Conclusions
Building energy efficiency is an important component of the Japanese government’s
efforts to promote energy efficiency. Japan’s Law on Energy Conservation devotes one-
fifth of its contents to building energy efficiency, including issues related to efficient

8
Please see more information at www.ibec.or.jp/CASBEE/english/overviewE.htm.

17
building materials, and the responsibilities of property owners, government entities and
local jurisdictions.

Building energy codes in Japan are technically voluntary and there are no checks on
actual construction, but compliance appears to be relatively high. The national energy
conservation law mandates the submission of an energy savings report prior to any new
construction, major extension or alteration of a building. Local authorities review these
reports and provide instructions for improvement. Japan is also adopting a penalty
scheme to ensure that large buildings and houses are energy efficient. Moreover, there is
substantial technical support for builders and owners through the CASBEE program and
IBEC’s training seminars, making it easier to build more efficient buildings. Local
governments also encourage more efficient building designs by giving owners incentives
like access to relaxed building height and size restrictions, and financial support for very
efficient buildings.

The codes also address the issue of operations and maintenance. Building owners must
submit maintenance reports every three years, and the residential building energy codes
have a separate provision regarding operation and maintenance to improve energy
efficiency. This is unique among the existing building codes of APP countries.

18
List of Acronyms

APP Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Energy and Climate

CASBEE Comprehensive Assessment System for Building Environmental Efficiency
CCREUB Criteria for Clients on the Rationalization of Energy Use for Buildings
CCREUH Criteria for Clients on the Rationalization of Energy Use for Houses
CEC Coefficient of Energy Consumption
DCGREUH Design and Construction Guidelines on the Rationalization of Energy Use
for Houses
ECCJ Energy Conservation Center, Japan
EIA U.S. Energy Information Agency
GDP Gross domestic product
HDD Heating degree day
HVAC Heating, ventilation and air conditioning
IBEC Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation
IEA International Energy Agency
IMF International Monetary Fund
JaGBC Japan GreenBuild Council
JSBC Japan Sustainable Building Consortium
METI Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
MITI Ministry of International Trade and Industry
MJ Megajoule
MLIT Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
MoC Ministry of Construction
Mtoe Million ton of oil equivalent
OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
PAL Perimeter Annual Load
R&D Research and development
SHGC Solar heat gain coefficient
SI International system (or metric) units

19
References
1 Association for Environmentally Symbiotic Housing, 2007. Objectives of Environmentally
Symbiotic Housing, www.kkj.or.jp/english/index.html, May 2008, (Accessed).
2 Building Center of Japan, 2008, A Quick Look at Housing in Japan, 6th edition,
www.bcj.or.jp/en/03/01_03.html, January 2009, (Accessed).
3 Energy Conservation Center, 2007. Japan Energy Conservation Handbook. Energy
Conservation Center, Tokyo.
4 U.S. Energy Information Agency (EIA), 2008a. Japan Energy Profile,
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/country/country_energy_data.cfm?fips=JA, September 2008,
(Accessed).
5 EIA, 2008b. World Carbon Dioxide Emissions from the Consumption and Flaring of Fossil
Fuels, www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/international/carbondioxide.html, January 2009, (Accessed).
6 Hong, W., M.S. Chiang, R.A. Shapiro, C.L. Majersik, 2007. Building Energy Efficiency:
Why Green Buildings Are Key to Asia's Future. Asia Business Council, Hong Kong.
7 IEA, 2007. Energy Balances of OECD Countries (2007 edition). OECD, Paris.
8 IEA, 2008a. Basic Program for Housing: Energy Efficiency Standards
www.iea.org/textbase/pm/?mode=pm&id=2600&action=detail, December 2008, (Accessed).
9 IEA, 2008b. Law Concerning the Rational Use of Energy (1979 Energy Conservation Law)
www.iea.org/textbase/pm/?mode=pm&id=4139&action=detail, December 2008, (Accessed).
10 IEA, 2008c. Law Concerning the Rational Use of Energy (1993 Revised Energy
Conservation Law), www.iea.org/textbase/pm/?mode=pm&id=4138&action=detail,
December 2008, (Accessed).
11 IEA, 2008d. Law Concerning the Rational Use of Energy (2002 Revised Energy
Conservation Law), www.iea.org/textbase/pm/?mode=pm&id=911&action=detail, December
2008, (Accessed).
12 IEA, 2008e. Law Concerning the Rational Use of Energy (2005 Revised Energy
Conservation Law), December 2008, (Accessed).
13 International Monetary Fund (IMF), 2008. World Economic Outlook Databases,
www.imf.org/external/ns/cs.aspx?id=2, January 2009, (Accessed).
14 Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation, 2008. Welcome to CASBEE
Website, www.ibec.or.jp/CASBEE/english/index.htm, December 2008, (Accessed).
15 Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, 2008. Koteishisan no kakaku tou no gaiyou,
Summary of Fixed Asset Tax Rolls (FY06), (Informal translation of title from Japanese),
www.soumu.go.jp/czaisei/czaisei_seido/pdf/ichiran08_5_02.pdf, January 2009,
(Accessed).
16 Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), 2007. White Paper
on Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in Japan,
www.mlit.go.jp/common/000033297.pdf, January 2000, (Accessed).

Useful Websites
1. The Energy Conservation Center, Japan, www.eccj.or.jp/index_e.html
2. Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, www.meti.go.jp/english/
3. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, www.mlit.go.jp/index_e.html

20
The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate
The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate is an innovative new effort to accelerate the development and
deployment of clean energy technologies.

Partner Countries
APP partners Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, and the United States have agreed to work together
and with private sector partners to meet goals for energy security, national air pollution reduction, and climate change in ways
that promote sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction. The Partnership will focus on expanding investment and trade
in cleaner energy technologies, goods and services in key market sectors. The Partners have approved eight public-private
sector task forces covering:

• Aluminum
• Buildings and Appliances
• Cement
• Cleaner Use of Fossil Energy
• Coal Mining
• Power Generation and Transmission
• Renewable Energy and Distributed Generation
• Steel

The seven partner countries collectively account for more than half of the world's economy, population and energy use, and they
produce about 65 percent of the world's coal, 62 percent of the world's cement, 52 percent of world's aluminum, and more than
60 percent of the world's steel.

Buildings and Appliances Task Force

Reducing our use of energy for buildings and appliances decreases the demand for primary energy and is a key means to
deliver better economic performance, increase energy security and reduce greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions. Partner
countries have recognized for some time the importance of cooperating on energy efficiency for buildings and appliances, and
have already taken a range of bilateral and other collaborative actions in this area. As the Partners represent a majority of the
world’s manufacturing capacity for a diverse range of appliances, we have the potential to drive significant regional and global
improvements in energy efficiency in this sector. The Partners will demonstrate technologies, enhance and exchange skills
relating to energy efficiency auditing, share experiences and policies on best practices with regard to standards and codes, as
well as labeling schemes for buildings, building materials and appliances.