Dedication ceremony of a new energy research and development center: "Environment and Energy Research Building"

The dedication ceremony of the Environment and Energy Research Building took place on Thursday, August 25 at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST) on the Komaba II Campus. About 120 members of the university and industry attended the ceremony at the new collaborative research facility, which will focus on new energy research in association with industry and government. As a step towards the realization of a low carbon society and to promote development of low-cost and high efficiency solar cells, the new building will house ENEOS Lab, a joint venture with JX Nippon Oil & Energy, Professor Hiroshi Segawa's Laboratory, focusing on energy and environmental research, and RCAST laboratories researching new energy. The building is expected to become a core facility promoting cutting-edge collaborative research between industry and university researchers.

In his address at the ceremony, RCAST Director Yoshiaki Nakano stated his aspirations for the new research building. ""The March 11 Great Eastern Japan Earthquake has forced a fundamental review of energy strategy to date. There has never been a greater demand for ensuring energy supply and innovation through new technology. Promoting face-to-face collaborative research between industry and academia, I hope to proceed with the grounded development of realistic next generation energy technologies."" University President Junichi Hamada gave a greeting at the ceremony, saying ""Realizing a low-carbon society is a global challenge. I have great expectations that the achievements of comprehensive research of new energy technologies founded on a robust collaboration with industry will be of great benefit to society as a whole.""

President Yasushi Kimura of JX Nippon Oil & Energy gave a congratulatory address, saying ""I am delighted that we have been able to contribute to the construction of a research center in which researchers working in the new energy sector, reaching across the boundaries beetween industry, academia and government, can operate on a global scale. I hope this occasion will lead to ever deeper exchange with RCAST researchers in technology development."" Director Nakano, President Hamada, President Kimura, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Manager for Academic Institutions Kazuhiro Sawakawa, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Director of Industrial Technology Human Resources Planning and Coordination Ooie Toshihiko, and NEDO Director Sadao Wasaka cut the ribbon to open the new research center, after which Professor Segawa provided an overview of the new building.

In order that industry and university researchers can cooperate more easily, a ""focus laboratory"" will be established in the new building and information sharing and joint research will be promoted. Research on the environment and energy will be pursued on all fronts, including the national project to develop innovative solar panels, electrical storage devices, and fundamental research on the environment. Further strengthening linkages with overseas universities and research institutions through exchange agreements, the center aims to become an international hub in the field of new energy research.

The fourth and fifth floors will house the relocated and expanded ENEOS Lab, established within RCAST in 2009. About twice the floor area of the existing facility, the number of researchers from JX Nippon Oil & Energy is also planned to increase, focusing on research and development of innovative solar panels and high-capacity storage.

The new seven-story reinforced concrete building has a total floor space of 7,124 square meters. Construction was financed in part by a donation from JX Nippon Oil & Energy, and the first floor hall is named the ""ENEOS Hall.""