Factory Site Report

The Tohoku Factory manufactures Bellburn earthenware exterior wall panels exclusively for SHAWOOD homes. The firing furnace in this process uses a great deal of energy. To reduce energy use, exhaust heat from the firing furnace is captured and used in the drying furnace, thereby increasing energy efficiency.
　　After the Great East Japan Earthquake, Sekisui House formed a disaster prevention agreement with Shikama-Cho, Miyagi (where the Tohoku Factory is located), to set up a cooperative system in the event of a disaster. Environmentally friendly in ordinary times and providing safety and peace of mind to customers and the local community in times of disaster, the site serves as a disaster risk reduction factory of the future. Aiming to speed up initial response and enable energy self-sufficiency when disaster strikes, the factory has built a smart energy system comprising the existing photovoltaic power generation system as well as new large storage cells, gas engine generators, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and a factory energy management system (FEMS). Using the large (2 MW-class) storage cells, the factory seeks to lower its peak electricity draw. The use of FEMS improves the visibility of energy use by the factory’s main facilities, and doing so has improved employee awareness of energy saving and helped to reduce energy use.

The Kanto Factory manufactures high-performance Dyne Concrete exterior wall panels. This process uses a great deal of energy. We are implementing a variety of measures to save energy in the manufacturing process, such as using exhaust heat from steam boiler drains and changing the heat source for drying furnaces from steam to burners. Furthermore, in the manufacture of steel frame members, panel components, and processed wood parts, we are systematically implementing upgrades such as replacing existing equipment with high-efficiency models, including updating cubicles and installing amorphous transformers.
　　In 2022, we rebuilt the factory’s office, creating a net zero energy building (ZEB) of the type that Sekisui House is promoting using the expertise cultivated in the housing business. Aiming to ensure peace of mind for everyone working there and create a comfortable space to be in, the building’s basic specifications include disaster resilience, efficient ventilation systems (in light of the COVID-19 pandemic), and thermal insulation. In addition, we adopted a free address system, did away with land lines, and designed the layout to facilitate interaction between departments to make the office environment more pleasant. Rebuilt as a Green First office, the new building also uses less energy.

　The Shizuoka Factory manufactures Bellburn earthenware exterior wall panels exclusively for SHAWOOD homes. This process uses a great deal of energy, but to save energy, the factory changed fuels from liquid propane gas (LPG) to liquid natural gas (LNG) in 2011. We have installed an LNG storage tank within the factory to provide a stable supply of fuel. LNG is evaporated in an air heat vaporizer, which draws on natural energy provided in the form of heat by the ambient atmosphere. We are also implementing ongoing initiatives to save energy by improving LNG consumption efficiency, including directing exhaust heat from firing furnaces to warming and drying facilities.
　The electrification of all Company-owned forklifts at the Shizuoka Factory was completed in February 2025.
　Among the Group’s five domestic factories, the Shizuoka Factory is actively working to reduce water use, as it is located in a water-stressed area. To this end, we store rainwater and use it to clean the dehydrators in the factory’s wastewater treatment facilities.
　In terms of resource recycling, we have installed equipment to recycle defective Bellburn panels. We use AI in quality inspections, and dispose of panels that do not meet our strict quality standards. Such tiles are crushed and recycled as filler in sound-absorbent flooring, thereby making effective use of materials and reducing waste.

　The Hyogo Factory manufactures high-performance Dyne Concrete exterior wall panels. The production of concrete uses a large amount of steam. We have installed automatic steam valves in the pipes that supply steam to each process. These enable steam supply to be shut off to processes not in use, saving energy. In 2020, we replaced one of the boilers that supplies steam with a cutting-edge high-efficiency model. Through system control that prioritizes the use of the new boiler, we have promoted further energy saving. In addition, we have applied a thermal barrier coating to the roof of the office building, reducing summer air conditioning power consumption. Responding to calls for energy saving in light of power shortages, we have installed three 35 kW in-house stations to reliably power the factory in the event of electrical grid instability.
　We are also working to reduce concrete waste in concrete manufacturing. We are implementing a variety of initiatives to this end, including installing automatic scrapers to prevent material from sticking to the sides of concrete hoppers and switching to butterfly valves on the intake ports of pumps for pouring liquid concrete into molds to prevent liquid concrete spatter. By collecting dust from Dyne Concrete panel processing to recycle as raw material, we are further reducing concrete waste. We have also installed equipment to automatically inspect panel thickness during concrete placement, improving the precision of product thickness and thereby helping reduce raw material use.

The Yamaguchi Factory manufactures steel frame members and panel components and processes lumber. We have been implementing innovative measures to save energy, such as using IoT technology to control compressor operations and improve efficiency since FY2019. Specifically, a remote control system developed in-house predicts compressed air usage based on the operational status of manufacturing processes to provide an optimized energy supply by controlling electric valves and multiple compressors. Other energy-saving measures include replacing existing equipment with high-efficiency models, improving productivity and efforts to use energy efficiently.
　　We have internally developed and launched a smart manufacturing system using IoT, big data, and AI for the line that manufactures beams for the Flexible ß System, Sekisui House’s construction method for 3- and 4-story steel-frame housing. In this system, AI trained on automatically collected past manufacturing data (big data) makes judgments based on manufacturing conditions. Using this technology, we have automated adjustments to production volumes and employee allocation, which previously relied on the expertise of managers. As a result, AI-powered improvements to efficiency in manufacturing line operations and power-saving operations have increased material yield, reduced working hours, and cut electricity use.