Mainichi Building Co. has received the Grand Prize, the top honor, at the 1st Building Air Environment Awards hosted by the Japan Air-conditioning System Cleaning Association (JADCA). It was given for efforts on air quality at the Palaceside Building. The building is counted among the notable works of the Showa era — and it is not only about the look (forgive the self-praise).
The awards began this year, with JADCA at the center and backing from the National Building Maintenance Association and the Japan Air Cleaning Association, to “commend specified buildings that strive for safe, healthy indoor air for occupants, and to make the importance of indoor-air maintenance widely known.”
The organizers offered this assessment of the judging.
“The Palaceside Building is in its 51st year since completion. … In a central-city setting, securing IAQ (indoor air quality) and proper management of air-conditioning equipment require special care. The above-grade central system uses a dual-duct method that employs the structure; the horizontal ducts on each floor are long, so since 1990 the 72 duct systems have been cleaned on a cycle of about seven to eight years. In recent years complaints about odors from multi-split units have increased, and besides twice-yearly filter cleaning the indoor and outdoor units are washed regularly as part of upkeep.
Recent social conditions strongly demand energy saving. As a measure, temperature sensors were installed on each floor’s main duct for thorough temperature control, and indoor air is measured monthly to manage CO2 — every effort is made to balance energy saving and IAQ.
This high awareness and extremely active effort by the building manager toward cleaning, maintenance and management match the aims of the awards; making it widely known is socially meaningful, and we decided on the Grand Prize.”
The ceremony was held on June 5 at Le Port Kojimachi. JADCA chair Masahiro Yoshida (right in the photo at right) presented a certificate and commemorative shield to Mainichi Building Co. president Toshiro Hara (left, same photo) (photo at left below
is a close-up of the shield). After the award President Hara said, “That we could receive such high recognition as the first Grand Prize comes down to the steady, 24-hour, 365-day maintenance we have kept as a large mixed-use office building beside the Imperial Palace. To live up to this top prize, all of us will work even harder on maintenance and keep offering tenants a safe, secure and comfortable building environment.”
The Excellence Award went to Tokyo Club Hall (1-chome Roppongi, Minato Ward).