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| HOME >> Eco-Campus Concept |
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| Eco-Campus Concept |
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The environmentally pro-active campus supports educational research activities in the field of cutting-edge technology at the Kitakyushu Science and Research Park |
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Universities and research institutes related to science and engineering and research departments of companies are located on the same campus of the Kitakyushu Science and Research Park (KSRP).
Here, various kinds of measures in which ecological considerations are incorporated have been taken to efficiently provide energy and water necessary for educational research activities.
The Faculty of Environmental Engineering, the University of Kitakyushu for instance has incorporated efforts to use natural forms of energy such as light, breezes and heat; and introduced systems to use water and energy most efficiently. It has been developing its campus aiming to restore the surrounding nature and water cycle.
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Nine Attempts Toward the Realization of An Eco-Campus |
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Environmental Symbiosis
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Incorporation of natural wind |
| (2) |
Incorporation of natural light |
| (3) |
Green areas on the roofs and walls |
| (4) |
Underground heat storage system for air conditioning and heating |
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Water Recycling
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Water recycling system |
| (6) |
Establishment of the Biosphere (*1) and natural waterway |
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Generation of electricity and heat
| (7) |
Solar cells
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| (8) |
Fuel cells |
| (9) |
Gas engine |
| (10) |
Provision of electricity and heat by cogeneration system (*2) |
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This combined energy system has been established under a grant from the NEDO's project promoting the introduction of new energy across the region.
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Biosphere is an environment inhabited by various wild creatures interacting with each other. |
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This is a system for providing electricity and heat using heat discharged when generating electricity. |
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Natural ventilation systems have been incorporated in various places in the buildings of the University of Kitakyushu. For example, solar chimneys installed on the rooftops of the North Wing and South Wing enhance natural ventilation as each chimney causes infiltration or natural ventilation because it moves air from inside to outside.
Cool air for ventilation is taken from an underground cool pit* for precooling in summer and prewarming in winter. Natural light enters the building through several light wells flowing down from the fourth floor to the first floor of the North Wing. Workshops have been built in a half- indoor-half-outdoor style taking full advantage of natural light and winds.
* An air passage in which (natural) ground heat is taken in and funneled upwards. |
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| Blinds and eaves for shading / Solar chimney for ventilation / Natural light and air well |
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Rainwater and daily wastewater of the campus are collected at the Energy Center via common ducts. The collected water is treated by a biological system and filtration, and is then recycled for use in toilets, landscape irrigation and as a makeup feed for the cooling tower(s).
The excess treated water is fed into biosphere* in which the water is further cleansed, discharged into natural waterways and finally permeates the soil.
* Biosphere is an environment inhabited by various wild creatures interacting with each other.
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| Wastewater treatment unit / Wastewater filtration equipment / Biosphere (image)
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The Kitakyushu Science and Research Park has incorporated supply systems of eco-friendly new energy.
With the combined use of cogeneration* power sources such as fuel cells and gas engine power systems in the Energy Center and the solar electric system on the rooftop of the University of Kitakyushu, it supplies electricity and heat, and contributes to reduce both energy consumption and the emissions of carbon oxide as well.
* This is a system for providing electricity and heat using heat discharged when generating electricity
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| Gas Engine |
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Hot-water Boiler |
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Fuel Cell
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Solar Electricity System
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| Information, Production and Systems Research Center WASEDA UNIVERSITY, is working on a research project to create the perfect recycle of a steel-framed house.
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The principles of the fuel cell |
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| The fuel cell was first created to meet a specific need in the Apollo program. Power generation due to the fuel cell accompanies the production of water (as a waste) which is vitally important for life. The power generation principles of the fuel cell is based on the reverse principles of electrolysis in which electric power produces hydrogen and oxygen from water. In the fuel cell, an electrochemical reaction of hydrogen from fuel with oxygen in air produces electric power as well as water. |
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The principles of the solar cell |
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| The solar cell was invented in 1954 in the USA. Solar energy excites electrons in semiconductors to energetically high levels, which generates electric power. The solar cell formed by n-type and p-type semiconductors can directly convert solar energy to electric energy. Semiconductors used for solar cells are mainly silicon in the present technology. |
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| There are different types of solar cells. Highest energy-conversion efficiency is obtained by fabrication on single-crystalline silicon wafer, but this is expensive. To reduce production cost, poly-crystalline silicon solar is also used. Non-crystalline, amorphous silicon solar cells are also available at a low-cost. High efficiency hybrid type solar cells consisting of amorphous and single- or poly-crystalline semiconductors are now under development for commercial use. The university of Kitakyushu has installed 156 sheets of single-crystalline solar cells (250cm x 75cm) on the eaves of the North Wing and 912 sheets of poly-crystalline solar cells (132cm x 89.5 cm) on the sloping panels on the rooftop. |
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