SOLAR TODAY - January/February 2009

This large bathroom is fully equipped with exercise equipment and TV set. The entertainment center is operable from the tub.

The Crumes: Can you give an example of how changing conditions might affect how we live in buildings?

Mr. Shiba: In Japan, the population as a whole is getting older as many residents approach retirement age, and at the same time the birth rate is declining. As a society like ours ages, its housing needs also change. Older adults tend to spend more time indoors and need less space than when they were younger, raising a family. Also, many older adults have mobility problems that require wide hallways and open floor plans. The living configuration for an older adult is much different from that of a young family, where everyone wants their own space. The open building approach runs contrary to the anonymity and uniformity found in many of today’s contemporary living environments.

The Crumes: As a striking example of modern architecture in the midst of Japan’s second-largest city, was it difficult for NEXT21 to achieve harmony with the surrounding urban environment?

Mr. Shiba: The diverse architectures and lifestyles of a large urban area make city life more interesting and meaningful. To create a structure that blends into these surroundings, NEXT21 includes public spaces, elevated walkways, stairs, corridors, an elevator and even private gardens outside of the apartment units. We refer to this configuration as a three-dimensional street. Large ecological gardens are located on the ground level and rooftop. Also, apartments are individualized, each with a unique floor plan and exterior design that is visible from the street. Thirteen architects individually designed our 18 living units, and some residents participated in the design of their units before moving in. The result is a variety of unique interior floor plans and exterior motifs reflecting different lifestyles and tastes, just like the surrounding city.

The Crumes: How is your facility powered?

Mr. Shiba: NEXT21 is powered by natural gas, and it was the first residential housing complex in Japan to use fuel cells as the primary source of energy. Heat generated by the fuel

Above, individual apartments “hang” separately within a framework carrying all utility lines. Apartments can therefore be modified individually. Below, the ecological garden as seen from an apartment balcony.

Over time, changing social, cultural, and political conditions
affect housing needs — buildings must be able to
adapt to these changing conditions

cells is fed to an absorption chiller-heater that provides both chilled and heated water for apartment cooling and space heating, plus domestic hot water needs. Direct current electricity from the 100-kilowatt fuel cells operates the facility’s elevator and fluorescent lighting in common spaces like corridors. An inverter located at each apartment unit converts direct current to alternating current for household appliance use. Additional electric power is provided by 7.5-kilowatts of photovoltaic cells located on the roof. The electricity generated on-site is stored in 1,000-amp-hour batteries.