Discuss the latest greening trends

①Environmental considerations required for building materials
Mr. Nieita, Manager of the FS Division at KYODO KY-TEC Co., Ltd., began by asking the question, "What is environmental friendliness?" and then explained why environmental friendliness is necessary for building materials. He also reported on the need for information disclosure due to ESG investment and the urgent need for countermeasures. He systematically organized green building certifications and gave a detailed explanation of each certification. He reported that the circular economy and circular design (recycling-oriented design) will require the concept of moving from the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) to the 12Rs for building materials as well.

②Frontline efforts in wall greening PART 2
Following on from the previous session, President Okada of Greenian Co., Ltd. gave a report on green walls in Singapore. He spoke particularly about urban greening policies, including how the total amount of leaves, calculated by dividing the area (2D) of greenery by the volume (3D), is assessed to ensure ecosystem function. He also reported that greenery is properly valued as an asset in Singapore, and that greenery equates to health and wealth. He explained how maintenance is defined as an investment in increasing asset value, and presented examples of actual buildings with photographs. He also provided a detailed explanation of Greenian's work on Shibaura and Otemachi buildings, reporting that the resulting green walls are stable.

3) Planting base for urban greening
Mr. Sawada, General Manager of the Greening Materials Development Department at Daito Technogreen Co., Ltd., gave a detailed explanation of planting bases for urban greening. First, he introduced examples of poor planting bases with photographs, and then reported on investigation methods, judgment criteria, and maintenance methods with actual case photos. Regarding soil, he explained that the right quality and quantity are the key to success, including wall greening. He mentioned that wall greening requires 50 liters of soil per square meter. Finally, he explained that a planting base is essential for the normal growth of trees, and that changing the base will change the tree's vigor, leading to a healthier landscape and increased value.

④Shifting from traffic priority: Redesigning streets and green spaces in Sendai City
President Kozumi of Kozumi Landscape Construction Co., Ltd. explained the history and evolution of Sendai's streetscapes, as well as their current state of development. He reported on the transition, including how urban regeneration through greenery was implemented during postwar reconstruction, and how green corridors were later developed in the city. He then asked, "Why are we rethinking our streets now?" He reported that the focus of streets has shifted from traffic management to urban value, from speed to comfort. He then introduced root-preserving construction using the example of the Jozenji Street redevelopment project, explaining that "street trees are not obstacles, but something to be protected." President Kozumi stated, "We build according to the weakest link," and that "the choice is the dividing line between a mature city and not," and that the Jozenji Street street development is "a statement of intent for the future landscape."

3. Summary

As mentioned above, each seminar delivered honest feedback from the various sites. All of the seminars identified issues that will be faced in future urban greening. The concepts of circular design, the total amount of leaves as a policy, the importance of planting bases, and President Koseki's words about "building according to what is weak" left a deep impression on me.
We at the Urban Environment Research Group would like to report and discuss the latest developments in green spaces from a field perspective. Our next meeting is scheduled for this fall, so please look forward to it.