The Cold Wisdom of Bibai and Funagata──Snow and Ice Cold Houses and Scenes of Rebirth (Bibai, Hokkaido; Funagata, Yamagata Prefecture / May 2003)

The Cold Wisdom of Bibai and Funagata──Snow and Ice Cold Houses and Scenes of Rebirth (Bibai, Hokkaido; Funagata, Yamagata Prefecture / May 2003)

Japan, May 2003. At a time when environmental voices are beginning to resonate more and more strongly, an unusual but beautiful initiative to "cool houses with snow" had begun in a small northern town. It was not just an introduction of building technology. It was a quiet but powerful response to the depopulation and uneven distribution of resources faced by rural areas, as well as the environmental problems and health concerns facing society as a whole.

Bibai City, Hokkaido. Once a prosperous coal mining town, now a quiet, snow-swept town, the Weakigai Natural Energy Research Group began its activities. What they have created is "West Palace," the world's first snow-cooled condominium. The snow that falls in the winter is stored in a snow storage facility, and the cool air from the storage is used as air conditioning in the summer. The system uses much less electricity, and the running cost is about 60% of that of ordinary air conditioning systems. In addition, the coolness is gentle and windless, and the dehumidification helps prevent sick building syndrome. There is no mechanical noise, and the quietness of the house, where nature becomes a part of the home, is a consideration that is somehow close to both the body and the soul.

This philosophy has also reached the town of Funagata in Yamagata Prefecture. Numazawa Corporation created "eco-environmental housing" that combines snow-cooling and radiant systems. Water is circulated through the walls and floors to provide radiant cooling and softly lower the room temperature. Only a hint of cool air, different from the breeze generated by a machine, quietly fills the living space. This is wisdom to live quietly with the heat, rather than to let it overpower you. This gentle feeling seems to cool the hearts of those who live in the house.

This challenge is not just the introduction of technology. It is a perspective that sees the "negative" of the local climate as a "resource. It is a philosophy of distancing oneself from the mass-consumption lifestyle of the city and living in harmony with the local climate. There was also a will to regain not only energy, but also a sense of physical and spiritual well-being. Especially in light of the social background of the sick building syndrome that was becoming a problem at the time, with many people falling ill due to the chemical substances emitted from building materials, the houses built by Setsuyogetsu Reinetsu offered a quiet but sure answer to this problem.

There were some challenges in introducing the system. There were challenges in installing snow storage, securing building space, and treating melting water. However, these challenges were overcome one by one through the cooperation of local general contractors, design companies, local government, and universities. The architecture supported by the "power of the local community" is not flashy by any means, but it evokes a sense of long-lasting sustainability.

At the time, the term "renewable energy" was gradually spreading throughout Japan, but the reality was still limited to areas led by large corporations and large-scale facilities, such as solar and wind power. Against this backdrop, the idea that snow - an everyday natural resource for people - could be evaluated and used as an energy resource was truly a perspective unique to the local region.

Underlying these efforts is the sense that "cold" is not unpleasant, but can also gently envelop our lives. Snow is cold, but gentle. The wisdom and ingenuity of people who have lived under harsh natural conditions are embedded in this cold air. The fact that such attempts have been made from the countryside is a landscape that should not be overlooked when considering Japan's energy future.

Snow is not an enemy, but a friend. This way of living continues to this day. And in the coming era of climate change, it may one day be reevaluated once again. The "cold but gentle house" that was born in the north that day speaks to us quietly, transcending time.