Publication Date : 28-04-2013
The Toyota Ecoful Town offers an example of how humans can survive on cleaner forms of energy
The Toyota Ecoful Town was opened last year to showcase efforts to build a low-carbon society in Aichi Prefecture's Toyota City - home of leading automobile maker Toyota Motor - in Japan. It aims to deliver the experience of a future low-carbon society and show how this would change our towns and our lifestyles.
In collaboration with local people and developers of cutting-edge environmental technology, Toyota has been striving to promote its sustainable low carbon society through several projects.
Toyota City Mayor Toshihiko Ohta said Toyota Ecoful Town would help the city's population realise that it is possible to live normal lives with cleaner forms of energy.
He added that a growing awareness of global warming issues meant Toyota residents were only too keen to embrace Toyota Ecoful's efforts to create a smaller carbon footprint.
To demonstrate its progress, Toyota Ecoful Town is currently hosting five exhibitions at a specially converted pavilion.
At one exhibition, visitors can learn about Toyota's environmental technology through a number of video presentations, while another called "Smart House" is a model home equipped with a cutting-edge solar power generation system, storage batteries and a home energy management system (HEMS) - a glimpse into eco-friendly living.
Outside is a special zone where electric cars are exhibited, along with Intelligent Transport System (ITS) technologies designed to deal with traffic management.
In addition to providing 'smart house' and EDMS (Energy Data Management System) technologies, both of which are currently being implemented in the city, Toyota Ecoful Town also provides a hydrogen refueling station for fuel-cell vehicles and a car-sharing service for small EVs.
Currently, 35 private businesses and organisations are participating in the project and it is hoped that the next generation of smart cities and communities will come from the innovative technologies and products being developed by these private and public sector participants.
Among those visiting the model town was a group of Thai school students - award winners of the 8th Stop Global Warming project - hosted jointly by Toyota Motor Thailand and the Thailand Environment Institute.
After a tour of the model town, Nit Chaenchuen of the Dee In Pattana community - which won first prize - said she was impressed by how much concern there was among Japanese people for the environment.
She vowed to relay her experiences to people in her community and encourage local residents at home to embrace the low carbon society concept.
"The important thing is that adults should teach the young to protect the environment. I will teach people in my community to save energy and to make the world a greener place," she added.
Toyota Shirakawa-Go Eco-Institute is another of Toyota's initiatives. Launched in April 2005, the Eco-Institute aims to respond to the educational needs of a new environmental age. The school offers various hands-on nature programmes throughout the year that both children and adults can enjoy.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) has also been developing its Super Eco-Town project to achieve more efficient disposal of industrial waste in Tokyo and to encourage the development of environment-related industries.
TMG is also encouraging the private sector and other organisations to take a greener path.
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