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Efforts toward Eco-innovation in Partnership with Consumers Expectations on Factor T INABA Atsushi Environmentally Conscious Products Promoted by Factor T HACHIYA Toshimi/TAKEYAMA Norio/INABA Michihiko The issue of recycling was encountered in the 1990s, followed by the problem of environment-friendly manufacturing in the 2000s. In the 2010s, it will be necessary to deal with the question of how to supply products while coping with environmental constraints in order to maintain a sustainable society. This situation will lead to a new design policy in which environment-friendliness appropriate to the offered services is required. Not only manufacturers but also consumers will need to shoulder the responsibility for realizing new types of products by reviewing and altering their lifestyles. Both parties will benefit from these innovative changes, and the burden on the environment will be reduced as a result. Toshiba has introduced an eco-efficiency indicator called Factor T, as one of the management metrics to be used as an index to indicate the simultaneous pursuit of environmental preservation and economic development. Our aim is to double overall eco-efficiency in 2010 compared with 10 years earlier under our fourth voluntary environmental plan. Evaluation Methods and Tools for Development and Manufacturing of Environmentally Conscious Products KOBAYASHI Hideki/OYASATO Naohiko/KOBAYASHI Yoshinori Toshiba is promoting the development and manufacturing of environmentally conscious products from the perspective of environmentally conscious management using various evaluation methods and tools. We have newly developed a number of evaluation methods and tools for this purpose. These include Factor T, an indicator to evaluate and improve eco-efficiency; LCSimulatorTM, a life cycle simulator for feasibility studies on various reuse businesses; and EMIOTTM, that facilitates more reliable estimation of material inputs to a business based on material procurement data. Factor T is an indicator expressing both the value of a product and its environmental impact throughout its whole life. It has been applied to hardware products so far, although recently its application has also been extended to the field of information and communication technology (ICT). User- and Environment-Friendly Drum Type Washer-Dryer Equipped with Heat Pump IMAI Masahiro/TOZAKI Takashi In 2000, Toshiba released the TW-F70 drum type washer-dryer on the market in response to the rising worldwide demand for energy saving. The new washer-dryer also corresponded to the social trend away from drying laundry in the sun due to the increases in high-rise residences, hayfever sufferers, and two-income families. The TW-F70 was an epoch-making model that overcame the conventional weak points of washer-dryers: weight and vibration noise. This was achieved by applying the direct drive (DD) motor, the fruit of Toshiba’s core technologies, to achieve both weight reduction and vibration damping. Since the introduction of the TW-F70, the demand for washer-dryers has dramatically increased and their market share is expected to reach about 31% of all washing machines in FY2007. However, washer-dryers also have an environmental impact because their use consumes more water and electricity than sun drying. Accordingly, we developed an air-conditioner cycle engine with a heat pump system that allows low-temperature drying and released the TW-2500VC "air-conditioner cycle drum" washer-dryer in July 2006. The TW-2500VC has a Factor (an eco-efficiency indicator) of 2.93, and has been shown to reduce both water and electricity consumption by half compared to conventional heater-drying washers. Moreover, the low-temperature drying gives the laundry a good finish, and the machine provides cool air to make the residence comfortable. REGZATM Brand LCD TV Realizing High Resolution and Performance with Energy and Resource Saving NAGAI Kenichi/ITO Hirotsugi/IWASAKI Shunichi Toshiba has been developing the REGZATM brand of liquid crystal display (LCD) TVs based on the concepts of authenticity and high quality. To materialize these concepts, we have been pursuing high resolution and performance, sophisticated design, and environmental friendliness in terms of energy and resource saving. However, the pursuit of performance and functionality has always led to greater energy consumption as well as larger and heavier products, reducing their environmental performance. A trade-off relationship has thus existed between the sophistication of products and reduction of their environmental burden. The REGZATM Z2000 series LCD TV released in 2006 eliminated this trade-off and realized high resolution and performance in parallel with energy and resource saving through the application of picture modifying technology and functional analysis in the structural design. This series has a product value factor of 1.47, an environmental load reduction factor of 1.83, and a Factor (an eco-efficiency indicator) of 2.69. Promotion of Environmental Conservation in Offi ces by e-blueTM Decolorable Toner MATSUMURA Fumiyo/SAIKAN Sadao/TAKAYAMA Satoshi Toshiba began selling e-blueTM decolorable toner, which allows the reuse of printed paper in offices, in 2003. The utilization of this decolorable toner results in reductions in the purchase and disposal of paper, leading to reduced carbon dioxide emissions as well as the dissemination of environmental consciousness among employees. The introduction of e-blueTM into offices has been shown to decrease paper consumption by 20-60%, thereby significantly contributing to the activities required under the ISO 14001 standards. "NeuroPMV control" Air-Conditioning Control System Prioritizing Comfort HANADA Yuuichi/YONEZAWA Kenzo There is a pressing need for energy conservation measures for commercial buildings against the background of the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol for global warming mitigation as well as the present-day worldwide shortage of energy resources. On the other hand, building owners are making demands for the low-cost operation of building facilities together with a comfortable living environment for tenants. To meet these requirements, Toshiba has developed a new air-conditioning control system called "NeuroPMV control." This system, which operates based on the predicted mean vote (PMV) comfort index, utilizes information technology and advanced sensor technology to prevent excessive cooling and heating in real time. It thus becomes possible to achieve a good balance between a comfortable living environment and energy saving. This technology is positioned as one of the measures of the building energy management system (BEMS), which is being widely introduced into commercial buildings for energy conservation. Super Flex Modular Chiller High-Effi ciency Large-Capacity Heat Pump Chilling Unit Using Refrigerant R410A MUROI Kunio Toyo Carrier Engineering Co., Ltd. has developed the Super Flex Modular Chiller, a large-capacity heat pump chilling unit employing the highly efficient refrigerant R410A with Tokyo Electric Power Company and Toshiba Carrier Airconditioning Systems Corporation. The new unit has a unique X-frame chassis and is designed to be used in parallel connections to multiply its capacity. The following five features characterize the new unit: (1) a large and wide range of capacity due to its modular structure, (2) easy moving and flexible installation suitable for renewal work, (3) a dual-mode heat pump system that can supply both hot and chilled water, (4) simultaneous pursuit of energy saving and reduction in CO2 emissions by high partial-load efficiency, and (5) simultaneous pursuit of lower price and higher efficiency by its modular structure. SPACEL-EXTM Safe, Secure, and Environmentally Conscious Elevator MURAKAMI Hiroshi/FURUMOTO Yasushi/KINOSHITA Toru An elevator is a highly public vertical transportation system. Toshiba Elevator and Building Systems Corporation has been devoting efforts to making elevators safer and more environmentally conscious products from the viewpoints of energy conservation and effective utilization of natural resources. We have developed and commercialized a new elevator system called SPACELTM, which is Japan’s first elevator system without a machine room. It also has a gearless winch system, which contributes to energy saving. The latest model in this series, the SPACEL-EXTM, has been developed with the aim of further reducing the burden on the environment. The new elevator has a Factor value of 1.20, taking the 2000 model as the base. Factor is an eco-efficiency indicator developed by Toshiba. User- and Environment-Friendly Medical Equipment and Information Systems WATANABE Naofumi/HIRAKUI Katsuya/KATO Yutaka In addition to the conventional needs of healthcare facilities for medical equipment that provides diagnostic accuracy and efficiency as well as reduction of maintenance costs, demand is increasing for equipment that places a lower burden on patients by reducing examination times and exposure doses. With Japan rapidly becoming an aging society, the entire healthcare workflow from disease prevention and screening to diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up must be taken into consideration in medical equipment-related business activities. It is also important to respond to environmental needs such as the conservation of energy and natural resources. Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation has been addressing these challenges to contribute to a sustainable society through its products. Eco-Friendly NAND Flash Memories YOSHIKAWA Susumu/TADAUCHI Masahiro Reduction of the environmental impact of products is becoming increasingly important every year. This trend also extends to semiconductor products. Toshiba has achieved significant reductions in the environmental impact of its NAND flash memories by reducing raw material usage and power consumption per product. Furthermore, the development and dissemination of downsized memory cards is contributing to resource conservation. For example, environmental impact in terms of carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced by up to 40% by changing the structure of products from the surface mount technology (SMT) to the system in package (SiP) type. Mobile Fuel Cell Providing New Advantages for Mobile Electronic Appliances MORI Yasushi Many new and advanced functions are now being implemented on mobile electronic appliances such as cellular phones and notebook PCs. These newly implemented functions consume so much energy that there is strong demand among end users for higher energy capacity and shorter charging time of the rechargeable batteries inside these appliances. The direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), which generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction of methanol fuel, has been attracting attention as a new energy source for mobile electronic appliances. It enables virtually continuous operation of the appliance by the addition of methanol fuel. The DMFC is also environmentally friendly because it discharges only clean substances containing no atmospheric pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides. |