Sustainability Activities (ESG)
Promoting Sustainable Use of Wood
Promoting Sustainable Use of Wood
Promoting Sustainable Use of Wood
Basic Policy and Approach
The Mitsubishi Estate Group has established a policy of fostering harmony between nature and human society as part of the Mitsubishi Estate Group Basic Environmental Policy. The Group is committed to no gross deforestation and promoting the sustainable use of wood as it considers biodiversity through its business activities. In addition, the Mitsubishi Estate Group Timber Procurement Guidelines* were established in July 2022 in the Group’s own value chain to ensure no forest destruction or deforestation and the protection of biodiversity in the procurement of timber.
Moreover, in the area of Environment and Diversity and Inclusion, which are the Key Themes stated in the Mitsubishi Estate Group 2030 Goals for SDGs, the Group has set goals for promoting the sustainable use of wood and ensuring the traceability of wood used in business activities. It will continue working for sustainable uses of wood giving consideration to respecting human rights and protecting natural resources in areas where imported timber is harvested.
- Scope of the Mitsubishi Estate Group Timber Procurement Guidelines: The guidelines cover the entire Mitsubishi Estate Group, and the target activity is the direct procurement of timber and timber products for construction.
Targets and Status of Achievement
Targets and Status of Achievement
From the perspective of human rights and environmental protection, the Mitsubishi Estate Group uses timber based on the Sustainable Sourcing Code (certified timber or Japan-grown timber) or equivalent as the timber in the concrete wall panels used when building offices or housing with a target of achieving a usage rate of 100% by fiscal 2030 to eliminate forest destruction. Moreover, in the Mitsubishi Estate Group Green Procurement Guidelines, the Group stipulates use of timber products certified by forest certification systems that can verify that they are from properly managed forest resources, and mandates consideration given to promoting the use of Japan-grown timber. This applies to all of the products, services, designs, and construction procured by the Mitsubishi Estate Group, and the Group requests the cooperation of all suppliers. In addition, the Mitsubishi Estate Group Timber Procurement Guidelines stipulate no forest destruction or deforestation and the protection of biodiversity in the procurement of timber in the Group’s own value chain. The timeline for the measurement of progress in the achievement of these guidelines is fiscal as a milestone (goal: minimum 90% achieved) and fiscal 2030 as the target year for achievement.
The Group also complies with policies on the sustainable use of timber and forest-related laws and regulations and has developed mechanisms to monitor and ensure compliance.
See the following for the Mitsubishi Estate Group Timber Procurement Guidelines
Primary Initiatives>Promoting Use of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT)
Primary Initiatives
Promoting Use of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and Other Products
The Mitsubishi Estate Group promotes sustainable manufacturing by using Japan-grown timber. In recent years, the Group has promoted the use of cross laminated timber (CLT) and other products as a construction material that expands timber usage opportunities.
Promoting Utilization of CLT to Further Expand Use of Japan-grown Timber
Initiatives by Mitsubishi Estate Home
Mitsubishi Estate Home fulfills its mission to enrich people’s lifestyles and lives through proposals for the creation of high-quality, high value-added homes. At the same time, from the perspective of using Japan-grown forest resources and decarbonization, the company promotes the use of wood, a sustainable environmentally-friendly resource, as it works on projects to promote wooden structures and finishes in buildings, thereby helping realize a sustainable society.
GHG Emission Reduction Targets
To reduce GHG emissions, Mitsubishi Estate Home has set a target to achieve a ZEH rate of 85%* in properties the company constructs by 2030 through promoting further use of Japan-grown timber and improved efficiency of household equipment with the aim of achieving net zero by 2050. In addition, the company aims to achieve a 60% reduction in GHG emissions by fiscal 2030 through initiatives that include selecting construction methods that generate little waste and materials that are easy to recycle, as well as promoting pre-cut technology.
- Includes Nearly ZEH
Making Use of Japan-grown Timber for Wall Frames and Structural Timber
Ensuring the Traceability of Timber
Mitsubishi Estate Home actively utilizes Japan-grown timber with clear traceability in order to ensure the appropriate use of forest resources and the sustainable development of the timber industry. By using Japanese timber in a sustainable way, the company helps to create sound and well-maintained forests, contributing to a forest cycle of "plant, raise, use, and plant.
In 2011, Mitsubishi Estate Home concluded the Agreement on Use of Yamanashi Prefecture-Grown Certified Timber Products for Housing Materials. By introducing the use of certified Japan-grown timber for flooring plywood as the standard practice* in April 2018, Mitsubishi Estate Home is working to promote the economically sustainable and responsible use of timber and to create a circular society that is in harmony with nature.
- Excludes some products
Building a network that can sustain a forest economy
Promoting Sustainable Utilization of Timber
In November 2018, Mitsubishi Estate Home began using Japan-grown timber as the material for wall frames in new homes built using the 2 x 4 construction method as the standard practice. As a result, the percentage of Japan-grown timber used for the structural timber in each new custom-built home is the highest level among 2 x 4 homebuilders in Japan.
See the following for more information on usage results.
ESG Data > E: Environmental data > (1) KPI > 2. Resources (Waste, Water, Forestry Resources, etc.)
Mitsubishi Estate Housing Components is promoting the use of Japan-grown timber in structural parts of single homes. In August 2010, it acquired an international standard (FSC-CoC certification) so that it could distinguish between these and other products in the chain of custody.
About FSC-CoC
FSC chain of custody (CoC) certification verifies that FSC-certified material has been identified and separated from ineligible and unacceptable material as it makes its way along the supply chain from the forest to the market.
- Excludes some products
Indoor Hut "HAKONOMA" Made of Japan-grown Timber
KIDZUKI Concept to Promote Wooden Structures and Finishes
Using its knowledge of wood accumulated over many years, Mitsubishi Estate Home has launched the KIDZUKI concept to promote wooden structure and finishes not only in buildings, but across a wide range of fields.
The name KIDZUKI is a portmanteau of the Japanese words for wood, awareness, and to build, encapsulating the idea of creating new value. The aim is for KIDZUKI to be a platform for various wood-based ideas and projects, forming a network to share issues, needs, and solutions among business operators in various fields, governments, and creators.
In collaboration with a number of wood furniture makers, projects are under way to develop original wooden products, as well as regional revitalization projects through effective use of wood in cooperation with universities and government agencies. We aim to build a full-featured platform as a networking venue for learning more about wood and augmenting its possibilities.
World's First Flat Mass Timber Construction Method developed and a new timber-constructed custom-built home brand is born
World's First Flat Mass Timber Construction Method Developed — A New Timber-Constructed Custom-Built Home Brand
To meet the needs of customers who demand a greater level of freedom in their wooden homes, Mitsubishi Estate Home has developed the world's first patented technique* called the Flat Mass Timber (FMT) Construction Method.
The FMT Construction Method is a hybrid technique that uses both wood and steel frames. By making the most of large cross-section laminated wood plank panels, a simple, strong design can be achieved with minimal intrusion of construction elements such as walls and beams into living spaces.
The company started offering ROBRA homes in September 2020. ROBRA is the brand for wooden custom-built homes using the FMT Construction Method that exemplifies the possibilities of wood and fresh exterior design concepts.
- Patented in October 2019
Structural body
Manufacturing Environmentally-Friendly, Highly Durable Wall Panels with High Yield Strength
Manufacturing Environmentally-Friendly, Highly Durable Wall Panels with High Yield Strength
Mitsubishi Estate Housing Components manufactures highly durable, high yield strength wall panels with approximately 14 times the strength of conventional panels for use in four-story wooden structures built with the 2×4 method. The panels use Shinshu larch for 24 mm thickness structural plywood, which is not normally used for houses. They also use domestic Japanese hinoki cypress and Japanese cedar for laminated wood and laminated wall supports. Additionally, 54% of the building's frame is made from Japan-grown timber, helping revitalize the domestic forestry industry. Furthermore, the insides of the wall panels are able to secure the equivalent of 68 tons of CO2, making them environmentally-friendly wooden structures.
Construction using highly durable, high yield strength wall panels
Engagement with External Stakeholders
Engagement with External Stakeholders
In September 2018, Mitsubishi Estate initiated the Construction and Real Estate Human Rights Due Diligence Study Group in which eight real estate and construction-related companies participate. As part of this initiative, the company holds study groups with other companies in these industries on the use of sustainably sourced timber from the perspective of environmental protection and respect for human rights. The aim of discussions at the study group is to deepen understanding about the risks of environmental destruction, including violation of human rights and destruction of forests and to expand the use of sustainably sourced timber going forward.
See the following for more details on the study group.
Launch of the Construction and Real Estate Human Rights Due Diligence Study Group
