Toward the realization of a carbon-free society, major real estate companies and others have begun research to measure the amount of carbon dioxide emitted when remodeling houses.
We would like to verify how much carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced compared to the case of new construction, and promote the use of existing homes from the viewpoint of energy saving.
A group of real estate giants Sumitomo Realty & Development, the University of Tokyo, and Musashino University have been jointly conducting research to measure how much carbon dioxide is emitted when remodeling existing homes since December last year.
In the research, we will investigate in detail the amount of materials such as wood that will be discarded at the actual renovation site and the materials that will be reused such as foundations and pillars.
By investigating how much less new materials are used compared to demolishing a house and building a new one, we will verify how much carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced.
The Group hopes to promote the use of pre-owned homes from the perspective of energy conservation by conducting such surveys at various sites for the next two years and confirming the effects of the renovation on reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
Takayuki Isobe, a lecturer at Musashino University, said, "There are many unused houses such as vacant houses. If the movement for renovation spreads, the burden on the environment can be reduced compared to new construction that puts in a lot of materials. I think we can realize a rich living environment by using it carefully. "