Setagaya Ward's own energy conservation reporting system - Urban policy around 2007 and background of energy conservation promotion (November 2007)

Setagaya Ward's own energy conservation reporting system - Urban policy around 2007 and background of energy conservation promotion (November 2007)

In the mid-2000s, Japan made CO₂ reduction an urgent priority following the Kyoto Protocol's entry into force, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government made emission reduction plans mandatory for large-scale business establishments. In this trend, Setagaya Ward introduced its own system requiring buildings with a total floor area of 2,000 m2 or more to report on their energy use. The reports include consumption of electricity, gas, kerosene, etc. The ward analyzed the data and urged facilities with low efficiency to make improvements. In addition, energy conservation advisors were dispatched to provide advice on lighting, air conditioning, insulation, and energy management, and small and medium-sized businesses were also targeted for support. In addition, a loan program was established in cooperation with financial institutions to reduce the initial costs required for energy-saving renovations and the introduction of high-efficiency equipment. Setagaya Ward, with a population
of approximately 900,000 people, has a mix of residential and commercial businesses and a high demand for electricity, so reductions were expected to be achieved throughout the region. At the time, measures for households and small- and medium-scale facilities were weak, so this program served to fill a policy gap. Setagaya Ward's efforts were not limited to data collection; they were a pioneering example of how a culture of energy conservation could take root in the community and lead to the strengthening of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and national systems.