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Osaka Gas Experimental Residential Complex |
| NEXT21HOME | Outline
| Energy-saving Equipment and Systems | Environmental Preservation
| Residences and Lifestyles |
Remodeling Experiment | Outline of Phase 2 Experiments
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High-performance insulation and efficient energy system for houses
| NEXT21 was designed and constructed with the aim of reducing the primary energy consumption by 30% from the amounts used in an ordinary building. The residential sections of the NEXT21 building feature air-tight, high-performance insulation. The heat insulation performance in the third and fourth floors is equivalent to Energy Conservation Standard Region II (northern part of the Tohoku area). The fifth and sixth floors offer even higher air-tightness and heat- insulating performance, and comply with the R2000 residence standards. This minimizes the energy loss in the heating and cooling of rooms. NEXT21 is the first residential complex to use a cogeneration system equipped with fuel cells. The system utilizes waste heat generated during power generation as a supplementary energy source for air conditioning and water heating, thus reducing overall energy consumption. The DC distribution system minimizes the number of AC/DC conversion cycles, while the energy system controller (ESC) forecasts power and heat demands and controls the entire system accordingly. As a result, the equipment operates in optimum condition and provides high overall efficiency.
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100-kW fuel cells
| The basement floor is installed with 100-kW fuel cells. Approximately 40,000 cumulative operating hours were reached. Compared to gas engines, fuel cells are quieter in operating noise and higher in power generating efficiency.
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7.5-kW solar cells
| The roof is mounted with solar cells (monocrystal silicon type; surface area: approx. 70m2). These solar cells have been producing the expected amount of power according to an estimation based on the average daylight hours in Osaka.
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Energy-saving effects
| When compared with a building with ordinary heat-insulation materials and a conventional central air conditioning system, NEXT21 reduced the primary energy consumption by 27%, CO2 discharge by 27%, and NOx discharge by 74%. A remarkable reduction of 74% in NOx emission was achieved since the exhaust gas of fuel cells contains almost no NOx. This contributes to environmental preservation. In terms of the number of planted trees required to process discharged CO2, 18,000 trees are needed every year to process the CO2 produced by a conventional system, whereas only 13,000 trees are necessary for NEXT21. The CO2 reduction achieved by NEXT21 is equivalent to planting 5,000 trees every year.
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24-hour ventilating and air conditioning system
| The air conditioning system in NEXT21 is designed to take advantage of the air-tight, high-performance insulation of the building. While providing constant ventilation of 100 to 150 m3/h, it maintains the room temperature at a comfortable level.
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Flexible waterproofing pan
| Osaka Gas has developed a waterproofing pan that can be assembled at installation sites. It enables flexible designing of bathrooms of any shape. The large bathrooms in the NEXT21 building are appreciated by the residents. Bathrooms equipped with audio systems have also been well received. This shows that more and more people are enjoying the relaxation that is provided by bathing.
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Remote control shower
| This shower head has a built-in solenoid valve. A remote switch operates the valve to turn the shower on and off. The results of our survey with monitor users showed that the shower head was too heavy. Based on this finding, Osaka Gas developed a lightweight mechanical-type shower head and introduced it to the market. Residence units equipped with the system: 201, 305 and 502
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Automatic bathtub cleaning system
| This system automatically cleans the bathtub. The nozzles installed in the tub spray detergent and water under high pressure to remove surface dirt, thus reducing the frequency of hand washing to only about once a week. The monitor users living in the NEXT21 building liked this function, but pointed out that the system consumed too much water and detergent. Osaka Gas made improvements and commercialized the product.
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Kitchen component
| The height of the cooking stove section is the same as the thickness of the counter panel to allow flexible combination with a variety of ovens. The top panel is flat without drip receiving grooves. Coupled with the fluorine coating, the surface is easy to clean. Residence units equipped with the system: 201 and 404
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Kitchen computer
| This off-line personal computer stores a recipe database and allows easy retrieval of recipes in the kitchen. Taking advantage of today's widespread Internet use, Osaka Gas established "Bob & Angie's Kitchen" on the Osaka Gas Home Page based on this system concept. The number of people accessing the recipe page has been increasing rapidly, and "Bob & Angie's Kitchen" has become one of the most popular forms of content on the Osaka Gas site. Residence unit equipped with this system: 601
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