Eco Idea House

Location data

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Location

Tokyo, Japan

The Panasonic Eco Idea House is a building on the edge of the Tokyo Bay in Japan that emphasizes green technology and sustainable living. Panasonic presented the Eco Idea House in 2009 as a proof of concept for modern sustainable living. The house was also positioned as a response to global warming and the depletion of natural resources. It features a wide variety of modern technologies that result in virtually zero carbon emissions.^[2]

History[edit | edit source]

Panasonic's Eco Idea House was unveiled in 2009. It currently stands as a part of the Panasonic Center in Tokyo. The building is open to the public on weekends. Admission is free.

Design[edit | edit source]

The Eco Idea House operates with the motto "Create Energy, Store Energy, Manage Energy, Save Energy."

Generators[edit | edit source]

The Eco Idea House requires no outside energy to function, operating completely off the grid. To meet its limited electricity needs, the house employs roof-based solar panels and hydrogen fuel cells in the backyard. Excess electricity is stored in lithium-ion batteries.^[4]

Sensors[edit | edit source]

Sensors in the home detect where residents are and manage power accordingly. Lights and appliances turn on and off as people enter and leave rooms in order to use as little electricity as possible.^[5]

Heating[edit | edit source]

Temperatures of individual areas are controlled in order to avoid heating empty rooms. Air can also be blown directly on occupants, saving energy by heating or cooling only the people, rather than the whole room.^[6] Heaters and air conditioners supplement airflow with a pocket of air under the house that naturally stays warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.^[7] The house also has insulation with a vacuum layer to further prevent the escape of heat. In addition, the house's hot water pipes double as floor heating.

Water[edit | edit source]

The combination washer/dryer in the Eco Idea House has a tilted drum, which requires less water to wash clothes.

Lighting[edit | edit source]

Many windows and skylights allow sunlight to light the house in the day while LEDs illuminate it at night. Photosensors adjust the intensity of the LEDs based on the amount of sunlight.^[8]

Technologies[edit | edit source]

• Hydrogen fuel cells^[9]
• Solar panels^[10]
• Lithium-ion batteries^[11]
• Vacuum insulation^[12]
• LED lighting^[13]
• AC/DC hybrid wiring system^[14]
• Home energy management system^[15]
• Tilted-drum washer/dryers^[16]

References[edit | edit source]

Page data

Keywords	buildings, sustainability, housing
SDG	SDG11 Sustainable cities and communities
Authors	Nathan Post
License	CC-BY-SA-3.0
Language	English (en)
Related	0 subpages, 1 pages link here
Impact	76 page views (more)
Created	March 26, 2012 by Nathan Post
Last modified	October 23, 2023 by Maintenance script
Cite as	Nathan Post (2012–2023). "Eco Idea House". Appropedia. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
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